January 14

"He putteth forth¹ his own sheep." (John 10:4)

"Oh, this is bitter work for Him and us ━ bitter for us to go, but equally bitter for Him to cause us pain; yet it must be done. It would not be conducive² to our true welfare to stay always in one happy and comfortable lot. He therefore puts us forth. The fold is deserted³, that the sheep may wander over the bracing⁴ mountain slope. The laborers⁵ must be thrust out into the harvest, else the golden grain would spoil.

Take Heart! It could not be better to stay when He determines otherwise; and if the loving hand of our Lord puts us forth, it must be well. On, in His name, to green pastures and still waters and mountain heights! He goeth before thee. Whatever awaits us is encountered first by Him. Faith’s eye can always discern. His majestic⁶ presence in front; and when that cannot be seen, it is dangerous to move forward. Bind⁷ this comfort to your heart, that the Savior has tried for Himself all the experiences through which He asks you to pass; and He would not ask you to pass through them unless He was sure that they were not too difficult for your feet, or too trying for your strength.

This is the Blessed life ━ not anxious to see far in front, nor careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, nor weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time.

Dark is the sky! and veiled the unknown morrow !

Dark is life's way, for night is not yet o'er;

The longed-for glimpse I may not meanwhile borrow;

But, this I know, HE GOETH ON BEFORE.

Dangers are nigh! and fears my mind are shaking;

Heart seems to dread⁸ what life may hold in store;

But I am His ━ He knows the way I'm taking,

More blessed still ━ HE GOETH ON BEFORE.

Doubts cast their weird⁹, unwelcome shadows o'er me,

Doubts that life's best ━ life's choicest things are o'er;

What but His Word can strengthen, can restore me,

And this blest fact; that still HE GOES BEFORE.

HE GOES BEFORE! Be this my consolation¹⁰!

He goes before! On this my heart would dwell!

He goes before! This guarantees salvation¹¹!

HE GOES BEFORE! And therefore all is well.

━ Danson Smith

The Oriental shepherd was always ahead of his sheep. He was down in front. Any attack upon them had to take him into account. Now God is down in front. He is in the tomorrows. It is tomorrow that fills men with dread. God is there already. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass Him before they can get to us. ━ F. B. M.

“God is in every tomorrow,

Therefore I live for today,

Certain of finding at sunrise,

Guidance and strength for the way;

Power for each moment of weakness,

Hope for each moment of pain,

Comfort for every sorrow,

Sunshine and joy after rain."

　

一月十四日

　　“他放出自己的羊” （约十：4）

　　主把自己的羊放出来。虽然羊走路很辛苦，然而必须如此。一直懒在一个又暖又舒适的羊圈中并不是真幸福。所以祂必须放羊出来，使牠们吃草喝水，呼吸新鲜的空气，欣赏美丽的风景。

　　觉悟罢，让我们不再留恋原有的地罢！如果祂指挥我们出来，如果是我们的主亲手放我们出来的，一切决不会错误的。起来罢，奉祂的名，向着青草地和可安歇的水边开步罢！放胆罢，因为祂“在前头走”。无论甚么危险必须先经过祂。信心的眼睛能看见前面领路的好牧人；如果看不见了，自己再向前走去就危险了。安心罢，主叫我们走的路，祂自己都有过经历的；祂不会叫我们走一步我们不能走的路。

　　这纔是一个有福的生命━不远看将来不罣虑前面一步，不自己选择路程，不把理想的重担压在背上，只是静静地一步一步紧跟着牧人。

漫天漆黑，遮掩了未知的明天，

祇能暗中摸索，因为夜幕未收，

此刻或许得不到久盼的曙光，

但我知道，神走在我的前头

危险卽在身旁，恐惧摇撼我的心，

生命前途，在在使我忧愁，

但我是属主的，祂知道我应走的路，

更幸运的是，祂走在我的前头。

疑窦投下了不详的阴影，

担心人生佳境，已不复可求，

唯有祂的诺言使我坚强振奋，

最幸运的是，祂走在我的前头。

祂走在前头，这是我的安慰，

祂走在前头，我心有了寄托，

祂走在前头，保证我的得救，

祂走在前头，一切必然顺利。

━史密斯

在东方的旷野中，牧童总是走在羊群前头的。有甚么危险的事情发生，必定先临到他，因为他在羊群前头。现在，神也在我们前头。祂在明天。明天顶会使我们挂虑，可是神已经在那边了。我们一生的明天，都必须先经过祂，然后纔临到我们。━梅尔

每一个明天，都有神的领导，

因此今天尽可欢笑，

行路所需的指示与力量，

明天未爽，我就能找到；

祂给了我疲惫时的鼓励，

悲哀时所需的慰劳，

苦痛时所需的希望，

以及雨后开朗，阳光普照。

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

3 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

4 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

5 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

6 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

7 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

8 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

9 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

10 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

11 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。