六月一日
有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。（創1：5）
在太初的時候就是這樣嗎?光暗在頭一日就把時間的界限劃分開了嗎？所以若我的環境從順利的白晝變爲災禍的暗夜又有什麽希奇呢？我的心靈中也不會常常有午正的情形，我也當忍受快樂消失、悲哀來臨的時候，幷要在夜間尋找我的良人。不獨我是這樣，神所愛的一切人都要唱審判和憐憫、患難和拯救、悲哀和歡喜所混合的詩歌。晝夜在靈界或自然界是永不停息的，這是出于神的安排，直到我們進入“不再有黑夜”的境界爲止。我們的天父所安排的一切都是智慧的，美好的。
那末，我的心哪！你該作什麽才好呢？第一當學會的要滿意神的命令，像約伯一樣甘心接受神所給他的凶和吉、逆和順。其次要學會，在晨去昏來時一樣歡喜快樂。當快樂的太陽升起時要贊美主，凄涼的夜幕降下時也要贊美主。日出日落都有美麗的景色，我們要爲此歌唱幷榮耀主。像夜鶯一樣，時時唱出你的歌聲吧！要信黑夜和白晝一樣的有用。恩典的露水在憂傷的晚間降得更多，應許的星星在悲哀的夜裏更加明亮。無論環境有什麽改變你都當照常服侍主。白天的時候你當以殷勤爲口號，黑夜的時候當以警醒爲標語。每時都有當盡的本分，要繼續作神所召你作的工作直到他忽然在榮耀中顯現的時候。我的心哪！暮年和死亡的夜已經近了，不要怕，因爲它是一天的一部份；神曾說：“我必終日遮蔽他。”
June 1
“The
evening and the morning were the first day.” — Genesis 1:5
Was it so even in the beginning? Did light
and darkness divide the realm of time in the first day? Then little wonder is
it if I have also changes in my circumstances from the sunshine of prosperity
to the midnight of adversity. It will not always be the blaze of noon even in
my soul concerns, I must expect at seasons to mourn the absence of my former
joys, and seek my Beloved in the night. Nor am I alone in this, for all the
Lord’s beloved ones have had to sing the mingled song of judgment and of mercy,
of trial and deliverance, of mourning and of delight. It is one of the
arrangements of Divine providence that day and night shall not cease either in
the spiritual or natural creation till we reach the land of which it is
written, “there is no night there.” What our heavenly Father ordains
is wise and good.
What, then, my soul, is it best for thee
to do? Learn first to be content with this divine order, and be willing, with
Job, to receive evil from the hand of the Lord as well as good. Study next, to
make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to rejoice. Praise the Lord
for the sun of joy when it rises, and for the gloom of evening as it falls.
There is beauty both in sunrise and sunset, sing of it, and glorify the Lord.
Like the nightingale, pour forth thy notes at all hours. Believe that the night
is as useful as the day. The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow.
The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief.
Continue thy service under all changes. If in the day thy watchword be labour,
at night exchange it for watch. Every hour has its duty, do thou continue in
thy calling as the Lord’s servant until He shall suddenly appear in His glory.
My soul, thine evening of old age and death is drawing near, dread it not, for
it is part of the day; and the Lord has said, “I will cover him all the
day long.”
