太十三24 耶稣在他们跟前另设一个比喻，说，诸天的国好比人撒好种在他的田里。

　　　　　38 田地就是世界，好种就是国度之子……。

　　〔大卫〕发热心要为神建造圣殿（撒下七1~3）。……大卫这个想到神的心愿、爱神的心愿，神是悦纳的；但大卫的这个定意、这个定规，神拒绝。神立即差遣申言者拿单，对大卫说，“你要建造殿宇给我居住么？”（5）神拒绝了大卫的好意。

　　没有一件事奉神的事，是人可以定规的。你可以爱神，这是对的；但你想要为神定规什么，这个神不要。你要事奉神的那个心，祂悦纳；但你所作的定规，神不悦纳。神说，“你要……么？”……要不要建造圣殿，不是大卫所能定规的。……神反过来对大卫说，“我耶和华向你宣告，耶和华必为你建立家室。”（11）神的意思是：“大卫，你要为我建造一个家么？你真是不知道自己在说什么，倒是我要为你建立一个家。”（李文集一九五三年第一册，三八三页）

　　Matt. 13:24 Another parable He set before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field.

　　38 And the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom…

　　[David] was zealous to build a temple for God (2 Sam. 7:1-3)…His desire to care for God and love God was accepted by God, but his intention and determination to build a house were rejected by God, who immediately sent Nathan the prophet to David to ask, “Is it you who will build Me a house for Me to dwell in?” (v. 5). God rejected David’s good intention.

　　No matter related to our service to God should be determined by us. It is right for us to love God, but God does not want us to think about doing something for Him. Our heart to serve Him is acceptable, but our decision to do something for Him is not acceptable. God said, “Is it you…?”…It was not up to David to decide whether or not to build the temple…God replied to David, “Jehovah declares to you that Jehovah will make you a house” (v. 11), as if to say, “David, you do not know what you are saying when you speak of building Me a house. It is I who will build you a house.” (CWWL, 1953, vol. 1, “Knowing Life and the Church,” p. 282)

　　大卫实在是敬畏神的人。他不像今天有的基督徒，觉得想要盖个礼拜堂，就去盖个礼拜堂。那些人觉得反正他们有钱，只要有心愿作，随时都可以作成。然而在大卫身上，我们看见一个敬畏神的人，在他遇见机会，看见那个需要，并且自己也有那个能力时，他却停了下来。……好比传福音总是不错的；然而，若是人发起的，神就要说，慢慢来。等人的发起停了下来，神就会发起，祂会发号命令。我们读圣经，要从这……事例里看见亮光。在事奉神的事上，没有一个人可以发起什么，来为着神。我们爱神不怕太过，心向着神不怕太过；神要求于你的，就是你的爱、你的心。然而……我们不能越过一步。……我们只能说定规在神，我们在此等候；祂发命令，我们才能作。我们爱神，我们等候祂的吩咐；我们寻求祂的旨意，等候祂的启示。我们必须像出埃及记里，那些爱主人的仆人一样，耳朵贴在门框上被穿通了，专专等候主人的命令（二一6）。

　　基督教的紊乱，并不在那些不热心的人身上，乃在那些热心的人身上。他们一热心，就造出一间间会堂；一爱神，就创办一所所学校。……爱神是对的，但现今的情形是在爱神这个对的后面，走了一段不对的道路。……我们只能爱神，却不能为神发起什么。

　　我实在羡慕大卫在神面前的光景，如果当时大卫不是敬畏神的人，……恐怕大卫会想：“你在说什么？我身在王宫里，有钱有势，现在这里有一个需要，我愿意配合，有一个行动，这难道不是神的旨意？”……然而，大卫是个敬畏神的人，他没有那样作，他停了下来。不要以为停下是一件小事。

　　和受恩教士……说，“凡不能为神的缘故不作工的，都不能为神的缘故作工。”……大卫知道神需要圣殿，但神的话临到他，……他立即停下不作。……大卫能为着神不作工，这给我们看见大卫的属灵。……如果我们是大卫，我们能否停下来？

　　……机会是到了，但有神的话临到，说，“不要作。你慢慢来，你的章程要改一改，我的定规才算得数。”今天有许多为神热心的人，听不见这些话；这就是今天许多神的工人不能同工的原因。求神开我们的眼睛（李文集一九五三年第一册，三八三至三八六页）。

　　参读：得胜者，第二至三章。

　　David was one who truly feared God. He was not like some Christians today who build a “church” whenever they please. Such people think that as long as they have money and a heart, they can do what they want when they want. In David, however, we see one who feared God. Although he had the opportunity, saw the need, and had the ability to build the temple for God, he stopped…If something is initiated by man, God will say, “Slow down.” When man’s initiation ceases, God initiates and gives a command.

　　When we read the Bible, we must see the light in [this] example. In the matter of service, no one can initiate anything for God. There is no limit to how much we should love God or turn our heart toward Him. What God demands of us is our love and our heart, but we cannot overstep the boundaries…God is the One who decides, and we must wait. When He gives a command, we can work. We should love God and wait for His command; we should seek His will and wait for His revelation. Just as the slaves in the Old Testament loved their masters and allowed their ears to be bored through with an awl to a doorpost, we must focus on waiting for our Master’s command (Exo. 21:6).

　　The confusion in Christianity is not caused by lukewarm ones but by zealous ones. Out of their zeal for God, they build one chapel after another; out of their love for God, they establish one school after another…It is right to love God, but in spite of a proper love for God, many Christians are walking on the wrong way. We should only love God; we should not initiate anything for God.

　　I truly admire David’s condition before God. If David did not fear God… he might have thought, “What are you talking about? I am in the palace; I have both money and authority. There is a need, and I want to cooperate by taking action. Is this not God’s will?”…Because David feared God, however, he did not react to Nathan; rather, he stopped. It is not a small thing to stop.

　　Sister M. E. Barber said, “Whoever cannot stop working for the sake of God cannot work for the sake of God.”…David knew that God needed a temple, but when God’s word came to him, he immediately stopped his work…The ability of David not to work for God shows his spirituality. If we were David, could we have stopped? Opportunities will come, but God’s word may also come, saying, “Do not do anything. Slow down. Change your plan. Only My decision counts.” Many who are zealous for God cannot hear such a word. This is the reason many workers of God cannot work for God. May God open our eyes. (CWWL, 1953, vol. 1, “Knowing Life and the Church,” pp. 282-284)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 4, “The Overcomers,” chs. 2—3