12请注意，这躺卧的驴不是安息在羊圈之中，乃是安息在羊圈之间。每一个会派和宗教都是一个圈。今天，我们不是安息在任何宗教的圈中，而是安息在圈外。在约翰十章，主指明犹太教是圈住神羊群的圈，而祂进入这圈，目的是要把羊群领出来。在约翰十章十六节主说，『我另外有羊，不是属于这圈的；我必须领他们来，他们也要听我的声音，并要成为一群，归一个牧人了。』阿利路亚，这躺卧的驴不是安息在任何圈中，而是卧在羊圈之间。虽然他离圈不远，却不在任何圈中。这正是我们今天的光景。我们离公会的圈不远；我们是在牠们之间。你也许希奇，驴怎么会在羊圈之间。从一面说，我们都是羊群中的羊。但照著我们天然的人，我们都是驴。许多时候，我在主面前对自己感到相当快乐，我赞美祂说，『主阿，感谢你，我在你的召会中。我在你的羊群中，是许多羊中的一只。』然而，在别的时候，我看看自己，说，『你看起来不像羊。也许你是驴、马或牛。有时候，你看起来甚至像水牛。』晚上，当一切的工作结束了，你安静的坐在主面前，也许会说，『主，我何等赞美感谢你，我在你的羊群中。』但同时你也许会看看自己，说，『可怜的我，我看起来不像羊。我看起来像马或牛。』照著我们的性情，我们没有一个人是羊。我们不是驴，就是马；不是牛，就是水牛。然而，我们也是变化过的人。虽然我是道地的中国人，但我已经变化过。我生来是中国人，但我藉著重生成了基督徒。凭著出身，我是一只驴。但凭著重生，我现今是一只羊，安息在公会之间。因此，我们是一群变化过的驴，安息在羊圈之间。我们承认，我们并非生来就是羊。然而，今天我们是卧在羊圈之间的羊群。
12Notice that this couching donkey is not resting in the sheepfolds; rather, he is resting between the sheepfolds. Every denomination and religion is a fold. Today, we are not resting in any denominational fold. Instead, we are resting outside the folds. In chapter ten of John the Lord made it clear that Judaism was a fold holding God’s flock and that He came into this fold for the purpose of leading the flock out of it. In John 10:16 the Lord said, “I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” Hallelujah, this couching donkey is not resting in any fold; he is couching between the folds. Although he is not very far from the folds, he is not in any of them. This is exactly our situation today. We are not very far from the denominational folds; we are among them. You may be wondering how a donkey could be among the sheepfolds. In a sense, we all are sheep of the flock. But according to our natural man, we all are donkeys. Many times I have been rather happy with myself before the Lord and I praised Him, saying, “O Lord, thank You that I am in Your church. I am one of the many sheep in Your flock.” However, at other times I looked at myself and said, “You don’t look like a sheep. Probably you are a donkey, a horse, or a cow. Sometimes you even look like a buffalo.” At night when all your work is over and you are sitting quietly in the presence of the Lord, you may say, “Lord, how I praise and thank You that I am in Your flock.” But at the same time you may look at yourself and say, “Poor me, I don’tlook like a sheep. I look like a horse or a cow.” According to our nature, none of us is a sheep. Instead, we are either donkeys or horses, cows or buffaloes. Nevertheless, we are also the transformed ones. Although I was a typical Chinese, I have been transformed. I was born Chinese, but I have become a Christian through regeneration. By origin, I was a donkey. But by regeneration I am now a sheep resting among the denominations. Thus, we are a flock of transformed donkeys resting between the sheepfolds. We admit that we were not born sheep. Nevertheless, today we are the flock couching between the sheepfolds.