六月一日
有晚上，有早晨，这是头一日。（创1：5）
在太初的时候就是这样吗?光暗在头一日就把时间的界限划分开了吗？所以若我的环境从顺利的白昼变爲灾祸的暗夜又有什麽希奇呢？我的心灵中也不会常常有午正的情形，我也当忍受快乐消失、悲哀来临的时候，幷要在夜间寻找我的良人。不独我是这样，神所爱的一切人都要唱审判和怜悯、患难和拯救、悲哀和欢喜所混合的诗歌。昼夜在灵界或自然界是永不停息的，这是出于神的安排，直到我们进入“不再有黑夜”的境界爲止。我们的天父所安排的一切都是智慧的，美好的。
那末，我的心哪！你该作什麽才好呢？第一当学会的要满意神的命令，像约伯一样甘心接受神所给他的凶和吉、逆和顺。其次要学会，在晨去昏来时一样欢喜快乐。当快乐的太阳升起时要赞美主，凄凉的夜幕降下时也要赞美主。日出日落都有美丽的景色，我们要爲此歌唱幷荣耀主。像夜莺一样，时时唱出你的歌声吧！要信黑夜和白昼一样的有用。恩典的露水在忧伤的晚间降得更多，应许的星星在悲哀的夜里更加明亮。无论环境有什麽改变你都当照常服侍主。白天的时候你当以殷勤爲口号，黑夜的时候当以警醒爲标语。每时都有当尽的本分，要继续作神所召你作的工作直到他忽然在荣耀中显现的时候。我的心哪！暮年和死亡的夜已经近了，不要怕，因爲它是一天的一部份；神曾说：“我必终日遮蔽他。”
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.”
