九月七日
因爲人多，不得近前，就把耶稣所在的房子，拆了房顶，既拆通了，就把瘫子连所躺卧的褥子都缒下来。（可2：4）
信心是满了发明力的。房子满了人，人群挡住了门，但是因着有信心的缘故，终于找出了一条路来把瘫子放在主面前。若我们不能用普通的方法把罪人带到耶稣面前，就当用非常的方法。根据路加五章十九节，我们知道房顶上的瓦也拆了，那麽在搬瓦的时候必然弄出许多灰来，对于下面的人也是很危险的，但这事既然非常迫切，我们就不能顾及什麽危险和别人的惊惧。能治病的耶稣既在那里，不管怎样，把病人放下来再说，信心冒着一切的危险才能使瘫子的罪得到赦免。愿我们也有大胆的信心！
亲爱的读者，我们今晨不能爲自己和我们的同工寻求这样的信心吗？我们今天不愿爲爱人的灵魂幷荣耀主的缘故这样果敢行事吗？世界不断地在发明，天才爲应付人各样的需要日夜操劳；信心不也一样能有所发明，用新的方法挽救我们周围的将要灭亡的人吗？因爲耶稣在那里，所以使四个抬瘫子的人大爲兴奋而果敢；主现在不也在我们中间吗？我们今晨不是亲自看见他的面吗？我们不是感到他已医治了我们的灵魂吗？若是，就当从门、窗或顶，破开一切阻拦，努力把将亡的灵魂带到耶稣面前。当信心和爱心真正从事救灵工作的时候，一切方法都是好的、合宜的。若是能打碎石墙以饼救济人肉体的饥饿灵魂的饥饿，也当努力破除一切拦阻予以周济。主啊！愿你使我们赶快用各种的方法，冒各样的危险，把患罪病的人抬来。
September
7
“And
when they could not come nigh unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof
where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the
sick of the palsy lay.” — Mark 2:4
Faith is full of inventions. The house was
full, a crowd blocked up the door, but faith found a way of getting at the Lord
and placing the palsied man before Him. If we cannot get sinners where Jesus is
by ordinary methods we must use extraordinary ones. It seems, according to Luke
5:19, that a tiling had to be removed, which would make dust and cause a
measure of danger to those below, but where the case is very urgent we must not
mind running some risks and shocking some proprieties. Jesus was there to heal,
and therefore fall what might, faith ventured all so that her poor paralyzed
charge might have his sins forgiven. O that we had more daring faith among us!
Cannot we, dear reader, seek it this morning for ourselves and for our
fellow-workers, and will we not try to-day to perform some gallant act for the
love of souls and the glory of the Lord.
The world is constantly inventing; genius serves all the purposes of
human desire: cannot faith invent too, and reach by some new means the outcasts
who lie perishing around us? It was the presence of Jesus which excited
victorious courage in the four bearers of the palsied man: is not the Lord
among us now? Have we seen His face for ourselves this morning? Have we felt
His healing power in our own souls? If so, then through door, through window,
or through roof, let us, breaking through all impediments, labour to bring poor
souls to Jesus. All means are good and decorous when faith and love are truly
set on winning souls. If hunger for bread can break through stone walls, surely
hunger for souls is not to be hindered in its efforts. O Lord, make us quick to
suggest methods of reaching Thy poor sin-sick ones, and bold to carry them out
at all hazards.
