七日二日
我們的心必靠他歡喜。（詩33：21）
基督徒在苦難的極深處仍然歡喜，真是一件有福的事；困難雖然環繞著他們，他們仍能歌唱；幷且像善唱的鳥兒一樣，在它們的巢中高唱不休。波浪雖或淹沒他們，但他們的靈魂不久就升出水面，看到神面的榮光；有一種浮力使他們的頭永遠高過洶涌的波浪，幷使他們在浪潮當中仍能高唱“神仍與我同在”。
榮耀要歸給誰呢？要歸給耶穌——那都是因著耶穌。苦難不一定帶給信徒什麽安慰，但有神的兒子與他同在烈火的窑中，他的心就滿了快樂；當患病受苦時，耶穌必眷顧他幷爲他鋪床；當他臨終時，約旦河的水雖然冰冷地沒到他的頸頸，但耶穌必伸出他的雙手懷抱他說：“我所愛的門徒啊！不要怕，死是蒙福的事，死流的源頭乃在天堂；它們幷不是苦的，而是甜如蜂蜜，因爲它們是從神的寶座那裏流出來的。”行將離去的聖徒涉過河流時，巨浪環繞著他，心力疲弱至極，他的耳中仍可聽到相同的話說：“不要懼怕，因爲我與你同在；不要驚惶，因爲我是你的神。”當他臨近無限奧秘之門，幾乎怕進入那奧境，耶穌說：“不要懼怕，因爲你們的父，樂意把國賜給你們。”信徒因此便可得到力量和安慰，就不怕死了。不僅如此，他甚至願意離世，因爲他可以看到耶穌，像明亮的晨星，他切望看到他力量的源頭耶穌。真的，只要耶穌與我們同在，就是我們所期望的天堂了。他是我們白天的榮耀，晚間的安慰。
July 2
“Our heart shall rejoice in Him.” — Psalm
33:21
Blessed is the fact that Christians can
rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they
still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may
roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of
God’s countenance; they have a buoyancy about them which keeps their head
always above the water, and helps them to sing amid the tempest, “God is
with me still.” To whom shall the glory be given? Oh! to Jesus–it is all
by Jesus. Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the
believer, but the presence of the Son of God in the fiery furnace with him
fills his heart with joy. He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and
makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold chilly waters of Jordan are
gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him, and
cries, “Fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death
have their fountain-head in heaven; they are not bitter, they are sweet as nectar,
for they flow from the throne of God.” As the departing saint wades
through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail
him, the same voice sounds in his ears, “Fear not; I am with thee; be not
dismayed; I am thy God.” As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown,
and is almost affrighted to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, “Fear
not, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Thus
strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; nay, he is even
willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to
gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength. Truly, the presence of Jesus is all
the heaven we desire. He is at once
“The glory of our brightest days;
The comfort of our
nights.”
