2013年7月9日 星期二

儘管神似乎不聞不問,你仍當確信祂正清醒,並且祂全然慈愛-7月15日

「勝過世界的,就是我們的信」-約翰一書5:4
四圍鳥聲啾啾,在心中空房此起彼落,我們就會洋溢讚美歌聲,信靠祂的美妙作為。
然而若歌聲漸逝,生活形同嚼蠟,我們就該運用信心,驅散心中疑惑恐懼,仍舊欣然以對。 
神樂意賜下信心,因祂總是供應我們所缺,所以讓我們憑著信心祈求,堅定不移;
隨他道路曲直蜿蜒,祂都前頭引路,滿足一切所需,故讓我們信祂應許,永不稍離。

儘管看似遭撇棄,仍當相信;
儘管神似乎不聞不問,仍當向天疾聲呼求;
儘管眼看世界的磨石就要輾過一切有生息的事物,一點也不在意人們聲嘶的懇求,你仍當確信神正清醒著,並且祂全然慈愛;

除了接受神所賜與的,別無渴求;
預備好自己,寧願忍受飢腸轆轆,也不願失去分毫的信心...;唯有如此,你才能擁有勝過世界的真實信心。

-麥唐納

"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).

It is easy to love Him when the blue is in the sky,
When summer winds are blowing, and we smell the roses nigh;
There is little effort needed to obey His precious will
When it leads through flower-decked valley, or over sun-kissed hill.

It is when the rain is falling, or the mist hangs in the air,
When the road is dark and rugged, and the wind no longer fair,
When the rosy dawn has settled in a shadowland of gray,
That we find it hard to trust Him, and are slower to obey.

It is easy to trust Him when the singing birds have come,
And their canticles are echoed in our heart and in our home;
But 'tis when we miss the music, and the days are dull and drear,
That we need a faith triumphant over every doubt and fear.

And our blessed Lord will give it; what we lack He will supply;
Let us ask in faith believing--on His promises rely;
He will ever be our Leader, whether smooth or rough the way,
And will prove Himself sufficient for the needs of every day.

To trust in spite of the look of being forsaken; to keep crying out into the vast, whence comes no returning voice, and where seems no hearing; to see the machinery of the world pauselessly grinding on as if self-moved, caring for no life, nor shifting a hair-breadth for all entreaty, and yet believe that God is awake and utterly loving; to desire nothing but what comes meant for us from His hand; to wait patiently, ready to die of hunger, fearing only lest faith should fail--such is the victory that overcometh the world, such is faith indeed.
--George MacDonald