七月六日
惟有聽從我的，必安然居住，得享安靜，不怕災禍。（箴1：33）
神的愛在審判之時更能清楚地照射出來。從濃雲密布的裂隙中透出來的一顆星星更加光輝燦爛；沙漠中的一片綠洲有多美麗好看，盛怒之中的愛也是這樣美好光明。以色列人因爲一再拜偶像，神便刑罰他們，使雨露不降在地上，因此饑荒便臨到了那地；但神在行這事的時候，他仍然看顧他所揀選的人，保全他們。一切溪水都幹了，但神還留下一條，爲的是保全以利亞；這一條也幹了之後，神還安排一個保全他的地方；不僅這樣，神不只有一個“以利亞”，他還有一些余留的蒙恩召的先知，共一百名，每五十名藏在一個洞裏，雖然遍地都滿了饑荒，這些人仍然有東西吃，而且是吃亞哈王的飲食，因爲他的忠心敬畏神的家宰俄巴底奉養他們。
我們從這一件事就可以看出，無論什麽事來臨，神的子民總是安全平穩的。任憑地震動，縱然天破裂，信徒在天翻地覆之中和平靜穩妥之時一樣的安全。若神不能在天下救拔他的子民，他必在天上拯救他們。若是世界容不下他們，天上必有平安穩妥的地方等待迎接他們。因此在聽見打仗和打仗的風聲時，要存著信心。你不要因變動而擔心受怕，但要遠避惡行。無論什麽臨到地上，你，在耶和華寬廣的翅膀底下必然安然無懼。你要投靠他的應許，信賴他的信實，不管將來是多麽黑暗，因爲必沒有什麽使你駭怕。你要留意向世人表現出來聽從智慧的言語是有福的。
July 6
“Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and
shall be quiet from fear of evil.” — Proverbs 1:33
Divine love is rendered
conspicuous when it I shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star
which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which
blooms in the wilderness of sand; so fair and so bright is love in the midst of
wrath. When the Israelites provoked the Most High by their continued idolatry,
He punished them by withholding both dew and rain, so that their land was
visited by a sore famine; but while He did this, He took care that His own
chosen ones should be secure. If all other brooks are dry, yet shall there be
one reserved for Elijah; and when that fails, God shall still preserve for him
a place of sustenance; nay, not only so, the Lord had not simply one
“Elijah,” but He had a remnant according to the election of grace,
who were hidden by fifties in a cave, and though the whole land was subject to
famine, yet these fifties in the cave were fed, and fed from Ahab’s table too
by His faithful, God-fearing steward, Obadiah. Let us from this draw the
inference, that come what may, God’s people are safe. Let convulsions shake the
solid earth, let the skies themselves be rent in twain, yet amid the wreck of
worlds the believer shall be as secure as in the calmest hour of rest. If God
cannot save His people under heaven, He will save them in heaven. If the world
becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven shall be the place of their reception
and their safety. Be ye then confident, when ye hear of wars, and rumours of
wars. Let no agitation distress you, but be quiet from fear of evil. Whatsoever
cometh upon the earth, you, beneath the broad wings of Jehovah, shall be
secure. Stay yourself upon His promise; rest in His faithfulness, and bid
defiance to the blackest future, for there is nothing in it direful for you.
Your sole concern should be to show forth to the world the blessedness of
hearkening to the voice of wisdom.
