七日二日
我们的心必靠他欢喜。（诗33：21）
基督徒在苦难的极深处仍然欢喜，真是一件有福的事；困难虽然环绕着他们，他们仍能歌唱；幷且像善唱的鸟儿一样，在它们的巢中高唱不休。波浪虽或淹没他们，但他们的灵魂不久就升出水面，看到神面的荣光；有一种浮力使他们的头永远高过汹涌的波浪，幷使他们在浪潮当中仍能高唱“神仍与我同在”。
荣耀要归给谁呢？要归给耶稣——那都是因着耶稣。苦难不一定带给信徒什麽安慰，但有神的儿子与他同在烈火的窑中，他的心就满了快乐；当患病受苦时，耶稣必眷顾他幷爲他铺床；当他临终时，约旦河的水虽然冰冷地没到他的颈颈，但耶稣必伸出他的双手怀抱他说：“我所爱的门徒啊！不要怕，死是蒙福的事，死流的源头乃在天堂；它们幷不是苦的，而是甜如蜂蜜，因爲它们是从神的宝座那里流出来的。”行将离去的圣徒涉过河流时，巨浪环绕着他，心力疲弱至极，他的耳中仍可听到相同的话说：“不要惧怕，因爲我与你同在；不要惊惶，因爲我是你的神。”当他临近无限奥秘之门，几乎怕进入那奥境，耶稣说：“不要惧怕，因爲你们的父，乐意把国赐给你们。”信徒因此便可得到力量和安慰，就不怕死了。不仅如此，他甚至愿意离世，因爲他可以看到耶稣，像明亮的晨星，他切望看到他力量的源头耶稣。真的，只要耶稣与我们同在，就是我们所期望的天堂了。他是我们白天的荣耀，晚间的安慰。
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.”
