九月十五日
經(jīng)文: 「祂必不怕兇惡的信息梭纹。」(詩篇一 一二:7)
? ? ? 基督徒爸路荨变抽!當(dāng)你聽見兇信的時候切不應(yīng)當(dāng)害怕;若你因此愁眉不展氮块,痛苦萬狀绍载,那么,你和別人有什么兩樣呢滔蝉?別人沒有你所有的神可以投奔击儡,他們不像你一樣已經(jīng)知道神的信實(shí),所以不怪他們被驚恐打倒蝠引,被懼怕嚇壞阳谍;但你說你有了另一種生命蛀柴,你已重生且得了活潑的盼望,你的心得以存活乃是依靠屬天而非屬世之物矫夯;你若與別人一樣地?zé)烂福敲茨阏f你所得到的恩典有什么價值呢?你說你所有的新性情有什么尊貴呢茧痒?再者肮韧,若你像別人一樣擔(dān)驚受怕,無疑旺订,你也要犯別人在苦難環(huán)境中所犯的罪弄企。不信神的人,當(dāng)他們聽到兇信的時候区拳,就背叛神拘领,怨恨神,以為是神苦待他們樱调。
你也要犯這樣的罪嗎约素?你也要像他們一樣來觸犯神嗎?有很多不得救的人常用錯誤的手段企圖脫離困難笆凌,若你的心勝不過眼前的壓力也必出此圣猎。要信靠神,耐心等候他乞而。最聰明的辦法莫如摩西在紅海所作的:“只管站姿突凇!看耶和華今天向你們所要施行的救恩爪模∏菲。”若你因兇信而害怕起來,你就不能因想到你的責(zé)任而用鎮(zhèn)靜的態(tài)度迎接苦難屋灌,并在災(zāi)害之中振作起來洁段。若你作一個畏縮的懦夫還能榮耀神嗎?圣徒們常在焚燒他們的火中高聲歌頌神共郭,但你的疑惑和失望祠丝,好像感到舉目無告似地,表現(xiàn)出沒有幫助你的樣子落塑,能榮耀至高者嗎纽疟?要勇敢罐韩,要倚靠憾赁,并相信與你立永約之神的信實(shí):“不要輕易動心,也不要驚慌散吵×迹”(改譯)
Morning, September 15
Scripture: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings.”(Psalm 112:7)
? ? ? ? Christian, you ought not to dread the arrival of evil tidings; because if you are distressed by them, what do you more than other men? Other men have not your God to fly to; they have never proved his faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear: but you profess to be of another spirit; you have been begotten again unto a lively hope, and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things; now, if you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of that grace which you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature which you claim to possess?
? Again, if you should be filled with alarm, as others are, you would, doubtless, be led into the sins so common to others under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by evil tidings, rebel against God; they murmur, and think that God deals hardly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord as they do?
? Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Your wisest course is to do as Moses did at the Red Sea, “Stand still and see the salvation of God.” For if you give way to fear when you hear of evil tidings, you will be unable to meet the trouble with that calm composure which nerves for duty, and sustains under adversity. How can you glorify God if you play the coward? Saints have often sung God's high praises in the fires, but will your doubting and desponding, as if you had none to help you, magnify the Most High? Then take courage, and relying in sure confidence upon the faithfulness of your covenant God, “l(fā)et not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”