January 23

"Why standest thou afar off, O Lord?" (Psalm 10:1)

　

God is "a very present help in trouble." (Ps.46:1)But He permits trouble to pursue us, as though He were indifferent to its overwhelming pressure, that we may be brought to the end of ourselves, and led to discover the treasure of darkness, the unmeasurable gains of tribulation¹. We may be sure that He who permits the suffering is with us in it. It may be that we shall see Him only when the trial is passing; but we must dare to believe that He never leaves the crucible². Our eyes are holden; and we cannot behold³ Him whom our soul loveth. It is dark━the bandages blind us so that we cannot see the form of our High Priest; but He is there, deeply touched. Let us not rely on feeling, but on faith in His unswerving fidelity⁴; and though we see Him not, let us talk to Him. Directly we begin to speak to Jesus, as being literally⁵ present, though His presence is veiled, there comes an answering voice which shows that He is in the shadow, keeping watch upon His own. Your Father is as near when you journey through the dark tunnel as when under the open heaven! ━Daily Devotional Commentary



"What though the path be all unknown?

What though the way be drear?

Its shades I traverse not alone

When steps of Thine are near."

　

　

一月二十三日



“耶和华啊，祢为甚么站在远处？“ （诗十：1）



　　神确然是我们“在患难中随时的帮助”（诗四十六：1）。但是祂常常一面许可患难追逼我们，一面又自己站在远处隐藏起来好似不关心我们的样子，这样好叫我们自己的帮助告一结束，而看见从患难中能得到无限的教训和益处。让我们深信那许可患难临到我们的神，是和我们一同在患难中。也许要等到试炼过去的时候，我们纔能看见祂；可是我们敢相信祂从来没有离开过我们。我们的眼睛迷糊了；我们不能看见祂。在黑暗中我们的眼睛似乎是瞎了，不能看见我们大祭司的影踪；但是祂终究和我们同在，和我们深深地接触着。让我们不依靠感觉，不凭眼见，惟独根据于神是信实的；虽然我们看不见祂，让我们和祂说话。我们一开始和祂说话，深信祂的同在，虽然祂的同在我们看不见，我们就会得到祂答应的声音，这就证明祂在黑暗中始终眷顾我们。我们无论在黑暗的通道中，无论在光明的天路中，我们的父是一样偎近我们的。━译自日诚报



卽使途径陌生，这有何妨？

卽使道路艰难，又有何妨？

我并非在黑暗中独自彷徨

因为你的脚步就在近边。

1 tribulation   

n.苦难，灾难

参考例句：

• Even in our awful tribulation we were quite optimistic.即使在极端痛苦时，我们仍十分乐观。
• I hate the tribulation,I commiserate the sorrow brought by tribulation.我厌恶别人深重的苦难，怜悯苦难带来的悲哀。

2 crucible   

n.坩锅，严酷的考验

参考例句：

• The alliance had been forged in the crucible of war.这个联盟经受了战争的严峻考验。
• Put the required amount of metal into the crucible.把适量的金属放入坩埚。

3 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

4 fidelity   

n.忠诚，忠实；精确

参考例句：

• There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。
• His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

5 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。