以撒承受恩典
我们感谢主，祂在旧约里给了我们一幅美妙清楚的生命经历的图画。在新约里有生命经历的启示，但没有像旧约里那样清楚的图画。一幅图画胜过千言万语。每个基督徒的生命经历都有三方面－亚伯拉罕的一面，以撒的一面和雅各的一面。这三个人不是分开的个人，乃是一个完整的人在生命经历上的三方面。在以撒身上我们既看不到拣选，也看不到呼召。因此以撒本身并不完整。以撒的蒙召是在亚伯拉罕身上，正如亚伯拉罕的蒙拣选是在雅各身上。
以撒的一面揭示了恩典的事。我们不仅蒙召，学习凭着相信神而活，并且活在与神的交通里；我们也天天享受属神的事物。我们在基督徒生活中若没有甚么享受，我们就无法过基督徒的生活。我们会非常可怜。赞美主，我们不仅有亚伯拉罕的一面，也有以撒的一面，就是恩典的一面。恩典的意思就是享受神。恩典就是神自己在我们灵里成为我们的享受。
安息与享受
以撒承受恩典。他在恩典里出生，在恩典里养大，成为恩典的承继者。以撒生平的记载没有指明他多多受苦，反而启示他总是在安息。这由他在田间默想得到证明（创二四63）。以撒若不是安静、安息的，他能默想么？不能。每当我们受困扰，就无法安息。以撒总是在安息。在创世记二十四章他失去了母亲，没有妻子，他的仆人远行在外。但他不觉为难，他到田间去默想，而不是向主哭号。
我们虽然在以撒生平的记载里找不出安息这辞，然而确有安息的事实。以撒是个满有安息的人。即使面临和非利士人争井的难处，他也总是安息的。以撒虽然面临若干难处，他自己并不感觉为难。当非利士人争井时，他仍是安息的。你一直是安息的么？我们虽是以撒，却不是一直安息的。
以撒不但安息，而且享受。他的一生是享受的一生。他年老时，还品尝“美味，”要以扫往田野去打猎，给他豫备他所爱的美味（创二七1-4）。利百加听到这话，叫雅各给她拿两只山羊羔，好让她为以撒豫备美味（创二七5-10）。后来，雅各和以扫都带美味给父亲，以撒得了双分。以扫、利百加和雅各都很忙碌，以撒却坐享其成。由此我们看见，以撒是一个享受的人，一直享受恩典的供备。这种享受是他的定命。
享受也是我们的定命。我们不是神的儿子么？神的儿子怎么会是可怜的人？我们必须宣告：“赞美主，我是神的儿子！那位全能、全丰全足的神是我的父！”父字指明丰富的供备。只要我们有一位丰富的父，我们就有供备，无须忧虑。我们只该享受这丰富的供备。这是我们的定命。
每日一问：你现在的基督徒生活，是“努力在维持”，还是“真实在享受”？为什么？
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Isaac’s Experience – Grace and Enjoyment (1) — Gen. 24:67
We thank the Lord that in the Old Testament He has given us a wonderfully clear picture of life experience. In the New Testament there is the revelation of life experience, but not a picture as clear as in the Old Testament. A picture is worth a thousand words. Every Christian’s life experience has three aspects — the Abraham aspect, the Isaac aspect and the Jacob aspect. These three individuals are not separate persons; they are three aspects of one complete person’s life experience. In Isaac we see neither election nor calling. Therefore Isaac by himself is not complete. Isaac’s calling is found in Abraham, just as Abraham’s election is found in Jacob.
The aspect of Isaac reveals the matter of grace. We are not only called, learning to live by faith in God, and living in fellowship with God; we also enjoy the things of God daily. If we have no enjoyment in our Christian life, we cannot live the Christian life. We would be in a very pitiful state. Praise the Lord! We not only have the Abraham aspect, but also the Isaac aspect — the aspect of grace. Grace means the enjoyment of God. Grace is God Himself becoming our enjoyment in our spirit.
Rest and Enjoyment
Isaac inherited grace. He was born in grace, nurtured in grace, and became an heir of grace. The record of Isaac’s life does not indicate that he suffered greatly; rather, it reveals that he was always at rest. This is evidenced by his meditating in the field (Gen. 24:63). If Isaac were not quiet and at rest, could he meditate? No. Whenever we are troubled, we cannot rest. Isaac was always at rest. In Genesis 24, he had lost his mother, had no wife, and his servant was away on a long journey. Yet he was not troubled; he went to the field to meditate, rather than crying out to the Lord.
Although we cannot find the word “rest” in the record of Isaac’s life, the reality of rest is certainly there. Isaac was a man full of rest. Even when facing the difficulty of contending over wells with the Philistines, he was always at rest. Isaac faced a number of difficulties, yet he himself did not feel troubled. When the Philistines contended over the wells, he was still at rest. Are you always at rest? Though we are Isaacs, we are not always at rest.
Isaac not only rested, but also enjoyed. His entire life was a life of enjoyment. Even in his old age he still savored “savory food”, asking Esau to go to the field to hunt game and prepare the food he loved (Gen. 27:1-4). When Rebekah heard this, she had Jacob bring her two young goats so that she could prepare savory food for Isaac (Gen. 27:5-10). Later, both Jacob and Esau brought savory food to their father, and Isaac received a double portion. Esau, Rebekah and Jacob were all busy, while Isaac sat and enjoyed everything. From this we can see that Isaac was a man of enjoyment, always enjoying the supply of grace. This enjoyment was his destiny.
Enjoyment is also our destiny. Are we not sons of God? How could a son of God be a pitiful person? We must declare: “Praise the Lord! I am a son of God! The almighty, all-sufficient God is my Father!” The word “Father” implies abundant provision. As long as we have a rich Father, we have provision and need not worry. We should simply enjoy this rich provision. This is our destiny.
Daily Question: In your current Christian life, are you “striving to maintain it” or “genuinely enjoying it”? Why?