十一月十一日
他永久的膀臂在你以下。（申33：27）
神——永生的——时时是我们的支持，尤其是当我们降落到苦难的深渊里的时候。有时基督徒卑微地沉入至低之境。当他感到自己的罪大恶极，便谦卑在神的面前，才知道当怎样祷告，因爲他自己看到自己的不配。神的儿女啊，要记得当你在最不配、最卑下的时候，“在你以下”仍有“永久的膀臂”。罪容或使你坠入至卑之境，但基督的救赎还在那一切之下。你容或下到深渊，但你不会低于“极处”，因爲他能救到极处。再者，基督徒有时深沉在外面的苦难中，属世的帮助都没有了，那时该怎麽办呢？在他以下仍有“永久的膀臂”。只要永远信实的神约中所应许的恩典仍然环绕着他，他就不会深深陷入灾害和苦难之中。
基督徒容或因爲经过凶猛的争斗降于内心的苦痛中，就是那时他也不能再低于“永久的膀臂”——它们乃在他以下；既有它们的扶持，撒但一切加害于他的努力必归失效。这一个应许是一切软弱幷热心服侍神之人的安慰。这应许是每天支持我们的力量，是满足我们每一个需要的恩典，是我们负起每一种责任的能力。就是当死来到时，这一个应许仍然好用。当我们站在约旦河当中的时候，我们就能与大卫站在一起说：“我不怕遭害，因爲你与我同在。”我们要下到坟墓之中，但我们不能再往下了，因爲永久的膀臂必然阻止我们再往下沉落。终此一生，到末了的时候，我们要高举“永久的膀臂”——这膀臂乃是永不下垂、永不疲倦的，因爲“永在的耶和华，幷不疲乏，也不困倦”。
November
11
“Underneath
are the everlasting arms.”–Deuteronomy 33:27
God–the eternal God–is himself our
support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There
are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep
sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows
how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of
God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet
“underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.” Sin may drag thee
ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have
descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the
uttermost;” and to the uttermost he saves. Again, the Christian sometimes
sinks very deeply in sore trial from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What
then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.” He cannot fall
so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an
ever-faithful God will still encircle him. The Christian may be sinking under
trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought
so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”–they are
underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him
avail nothing.
This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker
in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for
each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise
shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able
to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” We
shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms
prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be
upheld by the “everlasting arms”–arms that neither flag nor lose
their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is
weary.”
