一月二十九日
乃是顾念所不见的……（林后4:18）
基督徒行天路的时候，最好是往前看。前面有冠冕，前面是目标。无论有什么盼望，有什么喜乐，有什么安慰，有什么激起爱心的事，“将来”必须作我们信眼的大目标。往将来看，我们看到罪已除掉，罪身与死已被灭绝，灵魂已得完全，可以与光明的圣者同得基业。再往前看，信徒被启明的眼睛，必可看到死河已过，幽溪已渡，并且已经到了光明的山上和其上的天城；他看到他自己进了珍珠门，像凯旋荣归的胜利者一样，基督亲手给他戴上冠冕，耶稣的双臂环抱他，好与他同得荣耀，并得与他一同坐在他的宝座上，就像他得胜之后与父一同坐在他的宝座上一样。想到将来，过去的黑暗和现在的阴暗都必云消雾散。天上的快乐必可补偿在地上的悲哀。我的惧怕呀，离去吧！这个世界狭如隙涧，不久你就越过。我的疑惑呀，离去吧！离去吧！你必安然稳渡溺水。时间，是多么暂短；永远，是多么恒久！死，是多么短促；永生，是多么无穷无尽！我想我现在就吃了以实各谷的葡萄，在天门之内吸饮。路途是太短太短了！不久我就可以到那里。
世界忧虑如风暴，我心破碎且惊跳；
但因升天而快乐，失望之中有依靠。
信心眼光扶持我，人生旅途尽渡过；
恐惧困苦由他去，回到天家便稳妥。
January
29
“The
things which are not seen.” –2 Corinthians 4:18
In our Christian pilgrimage it is well,
for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is
the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the
inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the
eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and
death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the
inheritance of the saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer’s
enlightened eye can see death’s river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the
hills of light attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself
enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the
hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with Him, and made to
sit together with Him on His throne, even as He has overcome and has sat down
with the Father on His throne. The thought of this future may well relieve the
darkness of the past and the gloom of the present. The joys of heaven will
surely compensate for the sorrows of earth. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but
a narrow stream, and thou shalt soon have forded it. Time, how short–eternity,
how long! Death, how brief–immortality, how endless! Methinks I even now eat of
Eshcol’s clusters, and sip of the well which is within the gate. The road is
so, so short! I shall soon be there.
“When the world my heart is rending
With its heaviest storm of care,
My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,
Find a refuge from despair.
Faith’s bright vision shall sustain me
Till life’s pilgrimage is past;
Fears may vex and troubles pain me,
I shall reach my home at last.”
