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「你要擊打磐石，從磐石裡必有水流出來，使百姓可以喝。」（聖經出埃及記十七章 6 節）
神所重用的人、物，都是先被擊打得粉碎的。因為神所悅納的祭，乃是憂傷痛悔的心。雅各屬天然的大腿窩在毗努伊勒扭了，神才給他屬超然的能力。摩西用杖擊打何烈的磐石，才有水流出來給口渴的百姓喝。
基甸和跟隨他的三百精兵打破瓶子 ── 打破自己 ── 他們的火把才能使他們的仇敵驚亂。
以斯帖在一個異邦宮中冒死違例進去見王，才得拯救她本族脫離滅亡。主耶穌拿著五個餅，兩條魚，必須把它們擘開，然後才能叫五千人吃飽。馬利亞打破她至貴的玉瓶，才能叫屋裡充滿香氣。主耶穌寶貴的身體，必須被荊棘、釘子、槍矛，刺得粉碎，祂裡面的生命才能像活水一般傾倒出來給口渴的罪人喝。
一粒麥子必須落在地裡死了，才能結出無數的子粒來。所以，我們看見：無論在歷史上、傳記上、植物上、屬靈的生命上，神必須擘開打碎一切人、物，然後才能重用他們。
啊！財物受了擊打、「己生命」受了擊打、志願受了擊打、美麗的理想受了擊打、地上的名譽受了擊打、愛情受了擊打、 健康受了擊打的信徒啊，你雖然被人輕視，被人棄絕，聖靈卻正抓住你，要用你叫神得著榮耀。你願不願意呢？ 以賽亞書三十三章二十三節告訴我們：「瘸腿的把掠物奪去了。」你願不願意甘心作一個瘸腿的來奪取掠物呢？──選
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"By reason of breakings they purify themselves." (Job 41:25.)
God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken. The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts. It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength at Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power. It was breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, be the stroke of Moses' rod, that let out the cool waters to thirsty people.
It was when the 300 elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries. It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support.
It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that she obtained favor to rescue her people from death. It was when Jesus took the five loaves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand. It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live.
It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains. And thus, on and on, through all history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS.
Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in their ambitions, and broken in their beautiful ideals, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory. "The lame take the prev," Isaiah tells us.
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