一月二十三日
我高举那从民中所拣选的。（诗89:19）
为什么基督从民中被拣选除了呢？我的心哪！你说吧，因为心里的意念是最好的。他不是我们的兄长，与我们有血缘关系吗？基督和信徒之间有一种什么关系呢？信徒可以说：“我在天上有一位兄长。我虽贫穷，但我的兄长是最富足的，并且他也是一位君王，他坐在宝座上会任令我受贫穷吗？噢。不！他爱我，他是我的兄长。”信徒啊！你把这有福的话，当作一串金刚石的项链，戴在你记忆的颈项上吧；把它当作一个戒指戴在你回忆的手指上吧；把它当作君王的玉玺，用信心印在你的祈求上，一心相信他必为你成全。他生来就是一位共患难的兄长，我们也应该这样待他。基督从民中被拣选出来，他知道我们的需要并且同情我们。“他也曾凡事受过试探，与我们一样，只是他没有犯罪。”我们在一切患难中，他都同情我们。试探，痛苦，失望，软弱，疲倦，贫穷——他的知道，因为他曾一一忍受过。基督徒啊！记住这一点，让这话作你的安慰。不管你的路是多么艰难痛苦，我们的救主也曾在那些地方留下过他的脚踪；甚至当你经过黑暗的幽谷、死亡的阴影和约旦河涨溢的深水，你也必在那里看到他的脚踪。在我们所到的一切地方，他都是一个过来人；我们所背得每一个重担，也曾沉重地压在以马内利的肩头上。鼓起勇气来！大君王的双脚已经在路上留下了血红的足迹，它把荆棘之路永远分别为圣了！
“他的路比我的更崎岖更黑暗；我主基督也曾忍受，我还抱怨什么呢？”
January
23
“I
have exalted one chosen out of the people.” –Psalm 89:19
Why was Christ chosen out of the people?
Speak, my heart, for heart-thoughts are best. Was it not that He might be able
to be our brother, in the blest tie of kindred blood? Oh, what relationship
there is between Christ and the believer! The believer can say, “I have a
Brother in heaven; I may be poor, but I have a Brother who is rich, and is a
King, and will He suffer me to want while He is on His throne? Oh, no! He loves
me; He is my Brother.” Believer, wear this blessed thought, like a
necklace of diamonds, around the neck of thy memory; put it, as a golden ring,
on the finger of recollection, and use it as the King’s own seal, stamping the
petitions of thy faith with confidence of success. He is a brother born for
adversity, treat Him as such.
Christ was also chosen out of the people
that He might know our wants and sympathize with us. “He was tempted in
all points like as we are, yet without sin.” In all our sorrows we have
His sympathy. Temptation, pain, disappointment, weakness, weariness,
poverty–He knows them all, for He has felt all. Remember this, Christian, and
let it comfort thee. However difficult and painful thy road, it is marked by
the footsteps of thy Saviour; and even when thou reachest the dark valley of
the shadow of death, and the deep waters of the swelling Jordan, thou wilt find
His footprints there. In all places whithersoever we go, He has been our
forerunner; each burden we have to carry, has once been laid on the shoulders
of Immanuel.
“His way was much rougher and darker
than mine
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I
repine?”
Take courage! Royal feet have left a blood-red track upon the road, and
consecrated the thorny path for ever.
