「我們是被看守在律法之下，被圈住好歸於那要顯示的信仰。」－加拉太書3:23
我們的天性、環境、試煉、挫折，都成了祂關鎖我們最好的牢房。然而，綑鎖的目的，乃是使我們看見：唯有出於神的信心，才是生命唯一的出路。
摩西曾用過自我的努力、個人的權勢、甚至殘暴的手段試圖解救他的民族；但神卻牢牢地將他關在曠野四十年，才放心讓他承接祂的工作。
保羅、西拉接受了使命前往歐洲傳福音。當他們來到腓立比的時候，卻受到鞭笞的苦刑，雙腿上了木狗下到監裡。他們四面被綑鎖，直到他們的信心顯明；於是他們信靠神，在最無盼望的黯淡監獄，縱聲高歌讚美，直到神出面拯救。
親愛的讀者，你也處於極大的苦境裡嗎？你有否失望和憂傷，有否難以言喻的損失、剝奪？
你正處於困境嗎？振作起來吧！神的綑鎖，是為使你的信心得以顯明。
選擇一條正確的路，來解決你的問題吧！就是將一切交給祂，並為著一切向祂獻上感謝，因為「萬有都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處」（羅馬書8:28），並且「神為等候祂的人行事」（以賽亞書64:4）。
因著所臨到的萬事，你才能得著神的恩典、幫助和啟示；因著所受的綑鎖，你才能使你和身旁的人得著亮光與祝福。
－C. H. P.
"Shut up to faith" (Gal. 3:23).God, in olden time suffered man to be kept in ward by the law that he might learn the more excellent way of faith. For by the law he would see God's holy standard and by the law he would see his own utter helplessness; then he would be glad to learn God's way of faith.
God still shuts us up to faith. Our natures, our circumstances, trials, disappointments, all serve to shut us up and keep us in ward till we see that the only way out is God's way of faith. Moses tried by self-effort, by personal influence, even by violence, to bring about the deliverance of his people. God had to shut him up forty years in the wilderness before he was prepared for God's work.
Paul and Silas were bidden of God to preach the Gospel in Europe. They landed and proceeded to Philippi. They were flogged, they were shut up in prison, their feet were put fast in the stocks. They were shut up to faith. They trusted God. They sang praises to Him in the darkest hour, and God wrought deliverance and salvation.
John was banished to the Isle of Patmos. He was shut up to faith. Had he not been so shut up, he would never have seen such glorious visions of God.
Dear reader, are you in some great trouble? Have you had some great disappointment, have you met some sorrow, some unspeakable loss? Are you in a hard place? Cheer up! You are shut up to faith. Take your trouble the right way. Commit it to God. Praise Him that He maketh "all things work together for good," and that "God worketh for him that waiteth for him." There will be blessings, help and revelations of God that will come to you that never could otherwise have come; and many besides yourself will receive great light and blessing because you were shut up to faith.--C. H. P
