七月六日
惟有听从我的，必安然居住，得享安静，不怕灾祸。（箴1：33）
神的爱在审判之时更能清楚地照射出来。从浓云密布的裂隙中透出来的一颗星星更加光辉灿烂；沙漠中的一片绿洲有多美丽好看，盛怒之中的爱也是这样美好光明。以色列人因爲一再拜偶像，神便刑罚他们，使雨露不降在地上，因此饥荒便临到了那地；但神在行这事的时候，他仍然看顾他所拣选的人，保全他们。一切溪水都干了，但神还留下一条，爲的是保全以利亚；这一条也干了之后，神还安排一个保全他的地方；不仅这样，神不只有一个“以利亚”，他还有一些余留的蒙恩召的先知，共一百名，每五十名藏在一个洞里，虽然遍地都满了饥荒，这些人仍然有东西吃，而且是吃亚哈王的饮食，因爲他的忠心敬畏神的家宰俄巴底奉养他们。
我们从这一件事就可以看出，无论什麽事来临，神的子民总是安全平稳的。任凭地震动，纵然天破裂，信徒在天翻地覆之中和平静稳妥之时一样的安全。若神不能在天下救拔他的子民，他必在天上拯救他们。若是世界容不下他们，天上必有平安稳妥的地方等待迎接他们。因此在听见打仗和打仗的风声时，要存著信心。你不要因变动而担心受怕，但要远避恶行。无论什麽临到地上，你，在耶和华宽广的翅膀底下必然安然无惧。你要投靠他的应许，信赖他的信实，不管将来是多麽黑暗，因爲必没有什麽使你骇怕。你要留意向世人表现出来听从智慧的言语是有福的。
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.
