January 26

"...I have begun to give;...begin to possess."(Deut. 2:31)

A great deal is said in the Bible about waiting for God. The lesson cannot be too strongly enforced. We easily grow impatient of God's delays. Much of our trouble in life comes out of our restless, sometimes reckless, haste. We cannot wait for the fruit to ripen¹, but insist on plucking it while it is green. We cannot wait for the answers to our prayers, although the things we ask for may require long years in their preparation for us. We are exhorted² to walk with God; but ofttimes God walks very slowly. But there is another phase of the lesson. God often waits for us.

We fail many times to receive the blessing³ He has ready for us, because we do not go forward with Him. While we miss much good through not waiting for God, we also miss much through over-waiting. There are times when our strength is to sit still, but there are also times when we are to go forward with a firm step.

There are many Divine promises which are conditioned upon the beginning of some action on our part. When we begin to obey, God will begin to bless us. Great things were promised to Abraham, but not one of them could have been obtained by waiting in Chaldea. He must leave home, friends, and country, and go out into unknown paths and press on in unfaltering obedience⁴ in order to receive the promises. The ten lepers were told to show themselves to the priest, and "as they went they were cleansed⁶." (Lk.17:14) If they had waited to see the cleansing⁷ come in their flesh before they would start, they would never have seen it. God was waiting to cleanse⁵ them; and the moment their faith began to work, the blessing came.

When the Israelites were shut in by a pursuing army at the Red Sea, they were commanded to "……Go forward." Their duty was no longer one of waiting, but of rising up from bended knees and going forward in the way of heroic faith. They were commanded to show their faith at another time by beginning their march over the Jordan while the river ran to its widest banks. The key to unlock the gate into the Land of Promise they held in their own hands, and the gate would not turn on its hinges until they had approached it and unlocked it. That key was faith. We are set to fight certain battles. We say we can never be victorious⁸; that we never can conquer these enemies; but, as we enter the conflict, One comes and fights by our side, and through Him we are more than conquerors⁹. If we had waited, trembling and fearing, for our Helper to come before we would join the battle, we should have waited in vain. This would have been the over-waiting of unbelief. God is waiting to pour richest blessings¹⁰ upon you. Press forward with bold confidence and take what is yours. "I have begun to give, begin to possess." ━J. R. Miller

　

一月二十六日

“……从此起首，……交给你，你要得……为业”

（申二：31）

　　圣经中常讲起信徒该怎样等待神，这个真理不能太偏于一面。诚然，有许多时候我们顶容易不耐神的迟延。我们生活中多少的烦恼都是出于自己的纷扰，鲁莽和焦急。我们不能等果子成熟，只管把青色的果子采下来。我们不能耐心等待我们祷告的答应，不管所求的须有较长时间的预备。我们想和神同行，不料神行得很慢。这些都是我们的失败，不能耐心等候神。然而圣经中还有另一方面的真理。就是神常等待我们，可惜我们总是耽误神。

　　多少时候，我们没有得到神已经为我们预备好了的祝福，因为我们不上前去接受。虽然有时我们的损失，是因为不等待神；但是多少时候我们的损失，也是因为待得过度了。有的时候，我们应该静坐；也有时候，我们应该迈步上前。

　　圣经中有许多的应许都是带条件的。在我们方面必须先有条件的履行，然后神方面纔有应许的实现。我们开始顺服的时候，神就开始祝福我们。神给亚伯拉罕许多的应许；可是这许多应许之中，没有一个能彀实现，当亚伯拉罕还等在迦勒底的时候。他必须先离开本乡，本族，本家，以及一切的朋友到一个异乡去，然后神纔一件一件成就祂的应许。主肯医治十个长大麻疯的，对他们说：“你们去把身体给祭司察看；”他们在甚么时候得医治的？“他们去的时候就洁净了”（路十七：14）。如果他们等待，要先看见他们的肉洁净了，然后再去，他们决不会得到医治。神等待去洁净他们，只消他们的信心一开始活动，祝福就来了。

　　当以色列人被仇敌追逼到红海的时候，神吩咐他们“……往前走”（出十四：15）。他们的责任不是等待，乃是鼓着勇敢的信心起来往前走。还有一次，当他们渡过泛滥两岸的约旦河时，他们必须先有信心伸足入水。信心是一把钥匙一把开入应许之地的门的钥匙。这把钥匙是在他们自己的手中，他们若不走近那门，用钥匙去开门的话，门就决不会自动开启的。哦，信徒们，今日我们是命定在世争战的。当然我们决不能得胜，竟不堪仇敌一击；然而，我们凭信心冲过前线的时候，就有那唯一的得胜者来到我们身边，替我们争战；靠着祂，我们已经得胜有余了。如果我们犹疑，战兢，等候那得胜者先来了，然后向前争战。我们定规空等。这就是不信的过度等候。神今天在等待，要厚厚地赐福与我们。我们应该用勇敢的信心前去接受。“从此起首，我要…交给你，你要得…为业。”━密勒

1 ripen   

vt.使成熟；vi.成熟

参考例句：

• I'm waiting for the apples to ripen.我正在等待苹果成熟。
• You can ripen the tomatoes on a sunny windowsill.把西红柿放在有阳光的窗台上可以让它们成熟。

2 exhorted   

v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The party leader exhorted his members to start preparing for government. 该党领袖敦促党员着手准备筹建政府。
• He exhorted his elder. 他规劝长辈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

4 obedience   

n.服从，顺从

参考例句：

• Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
• Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

5 cleanse   

vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗

参考例句：

• Health experts are trying to cleanse the air in cities. 卫生专家们正设法净化城市里的空气。
• Fresh fruit juices can also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.新鲜果汁同样可以清洁你的身体,并对黑眼圈同样有抑制作用。

6 cleansed   

弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The nurse cleansed the wound before stitching it. 护士先把伤口弄干净后才把它缝合。
• The notorious Hell Row was burned down in a fire, and much dirt was cleansed away. 臭名远场的阎王路已在一场大火中化为乌有，许多焦土灰烬被清除一空。

7 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

8 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

9 conquerors   

征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Danes had selfconfidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual. 这些丹麦人具有征服者的自信，而且他们的安全防卫也是漫不经心的。
• The conquerors believed in crushing the defeated people into submission, knowing that they could not win their loyalty by the victory. 征服者们知道他们的胜利并不能赢得失败者的忠心，于是就认为只有通过武力才能将他们压服。

10 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》