六月十五日
撒拉說：“神使我喜笑，凡聽見的必與我一同喜笑。”（創21：6）
年邁的撒拉生子的事，實在超出了自然的能力，而且有違自然的定律；我這個可憐的、無用的、卑賤的罪人，因著住在我裏面的主耶穌的靈使我得到了恩典，也是一件非常的事。以前我是一個絕望的人，正像一片乾旱、枯槁、貧瘠、磽薄、被咒詛的荒野，可是我卻能結出聖潔的果子。爲這從主所得的奇妙的恩典，我的口常滿了歡笑，因爲我得到了所應許的後裔，就是主耶穌，幷且他永遠屬我。今天我要向神舉起得勝的詩歌，我在卑微的地步他曾顧念我，因爲“我的心因耶和華快樂，我的角因耶和華高舉，我的口向仇敵張開。我因耶和華的救恩歡欣”。
願一切聽見我從地獄中被救出來，以及聽到蒙神恩眷顧的人，與我一同歡喜快樂。我的豐盛平安必使家人驚异，我的無限喜樂必使朋友喜歡，我的蒙恩見證必使教會受造就，我的快樂的說話必使世人蒙福。本仁約翰告訴我們說：心慈在睡覺的時候曾大笑，原來她在睡眠中夢見了耶穌。我的良人既是我每天思想的中心，那末我也必有她所有的喜樂。
主耶穌是喜樂的汪洋大海，我的心要在裏面任意沉潛，消沒在他的喜樂之境。撒拉看著她的以撒，就有極大的歡笑，她的朋友也都與她同笑。我的心哪！當你看到耶穌時，也要叫天地和你一同歡欣快樂起來。
June
15
“And
Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with
me.” — Genesis 21:6
It was far above the power of nature, and
even contrary to its laws, that the aged Sarah should be honoured with a son;
and even so it is beyond all ordinary rules that I, a poor, helpless, undone
sinner, should find grace to bear about in my soul the indwelling Spirit of the
Lord Jesus. I, who once despaired, as well I might, for my nature was as dry,
and withered, and barren, and accursed as a howling wilderness, even I have
been made to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Well may my mouth be filled with joyous
laughter, because of the singular, surprising grace which I have received of
the Lord, for I have found Jesus, the promised seed, and He is mine for ever.
This day will I lift up psalms of triumph unto the Lord who has remembered my
low estate, for “my heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in
the Lord; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in Thy
salvation.”
I would have all those that hear of my
great deliverance from hell, and my most blessed visitation from on high, laugh
for joy with me. I would surprise my family with my abundant peace; I would
delight my friends with my ever-increasing happiness; I would edify the Church
with my grateful confessions; and even impress the world with the cheerfulness
of my daily conversation. Bunyan tells us that Mercy laughed in her sleep, and
no wonder when she dreamed of Jesus; my joy shall not stop short of hers while
my Beloved is the theme of my daily thoughts. The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of
joy: my soul shall dive therein, shall be swallowed up in the delights of His
society. Sarah looked on her Isaac, and laughed with excess of rapture, and all
her friends laughed with her; and thou, my soul, look on thy Jesus, and bid
heaven and earth unite in thy joy unspeakable.
