四月二十一日
我知道我的救赎主活着。（伯19:25）
约伯得安慰的本源在于一个字：“我”——“我的救赎主”，并且在于救赎主活着的这一事实。我们要把握著活的基督！在我们能享受他之前我们必须先在他里面得到基业。矿中的黄金对我们有什么用处呢?要饭的人，到了金山还是得要饭吃。惟有我袋中的金钱才能满足我的需要，因为我可以用那金钱来买饭吃。所以救赎主若不救赎我，报仇的人来到时他不为我流血，有什么用呢?你不要自满，除非你能因着信心说：“是的，我投靠永活的主，他是属我的。”或许你把握他的手是软弱无力的，但你要记住，你的信心虽然小得像芥菜种，你有那点小信心就有资格这样说。这节经文里还有一个意思，约伯存著坚强的信心说“我知道”；若是说“我这样盼望，我这样信靠”，已是很叫人得安慰的了；在耶稣的圈中有很多人还不能超过这标准。但你若要获得安慰的真谛就必须说“我知道”。如果，但是，或许，都是残杀平安和安慰的仇敌。在患难之中疑惑是最可怕的东西，像螫人的蜂刺一样！若我们怀疑到基督不是我的，那末死的苦胆所调和的醋就临到我；但我若知道耶稣为我而活着，那末黑暗在我便不算黑暗，黑夜也是白昼了。若约伯在基督降生以及再来的许多年代之前能说“我知道”，我们也不能不肯定地说这话了。神不要我们的肯定立在假设上面，让我们明白我们的证据是正确的，免得我们的盼望毫无依据；也让我们不要以为有了这根基就觉得满足了，我们必须在秘室中使它大大发展起来。真实属我的活的救赎主，才是我说不出来的快乐。
April 21
“I know that my Redeemer liveth.” –Job 19:25
The marrow of Job’s comfort lies in that little word
“My”–“My Redeemer,” and in the fact that the Redeemer
lives. Oh！ to get hold of a
living Christ. We must get a property in Him before we can enjoy Him. What is
gold in the mine to me? Men are beggars in Peru, and beg their bread in
California. It is gold in my purse which will satisfy my necessities, by
purchasing the bread I need. So a Redeemer who does not redeem me, an avenger
who will never stand up for my blood, of what avail were such? Rest not content
until by faith you can say “Yes, I cast myself upon my living Lord; and He
is mine.” It may be you hold Him with a feeble hand; you half think it
presumption to say, “He lives as my Redeemer;” yet, remember if you
have but faith as a grain of mustard seed, that little faith entitles you to
say it. But there is also another word here, expressive of Job’s strong confidence,
“I know.” To say, “I hope so, I trust so” is comfortable;
and there are thousands in the fold of Jesus who hardly ever get much further.
But to reach the essence of consolation you must say, “I know.” Ifs,
buts, and perhapses, are sure murderers of peace and comfort. Doubts are dreary
things in times of sorrow. Like wasps they sting the soul！ If I have any suspicion that Christ is not mine,
then there is vinegar mingled with the gall of death; but if I know that Jesus
lives for me, then darkness is not dark: even the night is light about me.
Surely if Job, in those ages before the coming and advent of Christ, could say,
“I know,” we should not speak less positively. God forbid that our
positiveness should be presumption. Let us see that our evidences are right,
lest we build upon an ungrounded hope; and then let us not be satisfied with
the mere foundation, for it is from the upper rooms that we get the widest
prospect. A living Redeemer, truly mine, is joy unspeakable.
