February 18

"Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer¹ is already granted² you, and you will find that it will be." (Mark 11:24)

When my little son was about ten years of age, his grandmother promised him a stamp album³ for Christmas. Christmas came, but no stamp album, and no word from grandmother. The matter, however, was not mentioned; but when his playmates came to see his Christmas presents, I was astonished⁴, after he had named over this and that as gifts received, to hear him add,

"And a stamp album from grandmother."

I had heard it several times, when I called him to me, and said, "But, Georgie, you did not get an album from your grandmother. Why do you say so?"

There was a wondering look on his face, as if he thought it strange that I should ask such a question, and he replied, "Well, mamma, grandma said, so it is the same as." I could not say a word to check his faith.

A month went by, and nothing was heard from the album. Finally, one day, I said, to test his faith, and really wondering in my heart why the album had not been sent,

"Well, Georgie, I think grandma has forgotten her promise."

"Oh, no, mamma," he quickly and firmly said, "she hasn't."

I watched the dear, trusting face, which, for a while, looked very sober⁵, as if debating the possibilities I had suggested. Finally a bright light passed over it, and he said,

"Mamma, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album?"

"I do not know," I said, "but you might try it."

A rich spiritual⁶ truth began to dawn upon me. In a few minutes a letter was prepared and committed⁷ to the mail, and he went off whistling⁸ his confidence⁹ in his grandma. In just a short time a letter came, saying:

"My dear Georgie: I have not forgotten my promise to you, of an album. I tried to get such a book as you desired, but could not get the sort you wanted; so I sent on to New York. It did not get here till after Christmas, and it was still not right, so I sent for another, and as it has not come as yet, I send you three dollars to get one in Chicago. Your loving grandma."

As he read the letter, his face was the face of a victor. "Now, mamma, didn't I tell you?" came from the depths¹⁰ of a heart that never doubted, that, "…against hope, believed in hope…"(Rom.4:18) that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, grandma was working, and in due¹¹ season faith became sight.

It is so human to want sight when we step out on the promises of God, but our Savior said to Thomas, and to the long roll of doubters who have ever since followed him: "…Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."(Jn.20:29) ━Mrs. Rounds　

二月十八日

“凡你们祷告祈求的，无论是甚么，只要信是得着的，就必得着” （可十一：24）

　　我有一个十岁的孩子，他的祖母应许给他一本邮票簿，作为圣诞礼物。可是过了许久，她并没有给他，也不再提起。这孩子也并不放在心上；可是，当他的同伴来看他的礼物时，他一件一件把收到的礼物拿出来给他们看了之后，总加上一句：

　　“祖母给我一本邮票簿。”

　　我听他说了好几次，很是希奇，所以我特地叫他到我面前来，问他说：“孩子，你并没有从你祖母那里得到一本邮票簿。你为甚么常对你的同伴这样说呢？”

　　他脸上起了诧异之色，似乎希奇我会发这样一个问题。他回答说：“妈妈，祖母旣应许了，这就等于我已经得着了。“我就不能再说甚么，免得伤他的信心。

　　一个月过去了，邮票簿仍是无着。一天，我要试试他的信心，就对他说：“孩子，我想祖母已经忘记了她的应许了”。

　　他很快，很坚持地说：“不，妈妈，她决不会忘记的”。

　　我望着那亲爱的，深信的小脸，看见他现在很正经的样子，好似要辩服我方纔所说的话一般。过了一会儿，他脸上现出了喜悦的光彩，说道：

　　“妈妈，你想我好不好现在写一封信去谢谢她的礼物呢？”

　　我说：“我不替你规定；可是，你可以试一试”。

　　（这时侯神用光照亮我，给我看见了一段丰富属灵的真理）。几分钟之内，他已把谢信写好寄出了，回来的时侯，嘴里还唱着欢乐的歌儿，证明他对祖母的信任。不久回信来了，里面写着：

　　“我所亲爱的乔琪：我并没有忘记我对你的应许━一本邮票簿。我想照你合意的样式去买，可是在本城买不到；所以我就到纽约城去函购。寄到了以后，一看，仍旧不对，所以我又到芝加哥去函购了。你所爱的祖母”。

　　他读完了信，脸上带着胜利的气概，对我说：“妈妈，我不是告述过你么？祖母旣应许了，这就等于我已经得着了”。他的心里，从来没有疑惑过，这就是“…在无可指望的时侯，因信仍有指望…”（罗四：18）。他深信邮票簿一定会来的。他信他的祖母进行，不久信心就变成了事实。

　　人们常要在神的应许上先有眼见，但是我们的主对多马说，也对那些跟从他而怀疑的人说：“…那没有看见就信的，有福了”（约二十：29）━朗滋夫人

1 prayer   

n.祈祷，祈求，请求，恳求；祷文，祷告者，恳求者

参考例句：

• We heard the calling of the bells to prayer.我们听见了召唤祈祷的钟声。
• Everyone in church knelt in prayer.教堂里每个人都跪着祈祷。

2 granted   

conj.假定，就算v.（退一步）承认( grant的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指正式地或法律上）同意；准许；让渡

参考例句：

• The president granted a general amnesty for all political prisoners. 总统大赦了所有的政治犯。
• She feared she would not be granted re-entry into Britain. 她担心不会获准再次踏足英伦。

3 album   

n.集子，粘贴集，影集，邮集，歌曲集

参考例句：

• The photos belong in an album.这些照片应该放在相册里。
• Will you look over his album?你要不要去看看他的歌集唱片？

4 astonished   

adj.惊讶的

参考例句：

• The news astonished everyone. 这消息使大家十分惊讶。
• He was astonished to learn he'd won the competition. 他听说他比赛赢了，感到很惊讶。

5 sober   

adj.清醒的，沉着冷静的，稳重的，颜色暗淡的；vt.使清醒，使沉着；vi.清醒，冷静下来

参考例句：

• He talked to us in a sober friendly fashion.他以冷静而又友好的方式同我们交谈。
• The man was still sober when he went home.那人回到家时头脑依然清醒。

6 spiritual   

adj.精神上的，神圣的，崇高的，高尚的，鬼的，招魂论的&n.有关教会的事

参考例句：

• His spiritual nature is good.他心灵本质上是善良的。
• Their friendship was strictly spiritual.他们的友情完全是精神上的。

7 committed   

a.坚定的，献身的，忠诚的

参考例句：

• They called for assurances that the government is committed to its education policy. 他们要求保证政府切实执行其教育方针。
• He committed the cardinal sin of criticizing his teammates. 他犯了指责队友的大错。

8 whistling   

n.吹笛，吹口哨，啸声v.吹口哨( whistle的现在分词 )；鸣笛；呼啸着前进；空指望

参考例句：

• The bomb exploded, sending shrapnel whistling through the trees. 炸弹爆炸了，弹片呼啸着穿过树林。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He came home for dinner whistling cheerfully. 他欢快地吹着口哨回家吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 confidence   

n.信任，信托，自信，信心，把握，大胆，厚颜，过于自信，狂妄

参考例句：

• We have full confidence in our victory.我们有必胜的把握。
• I should like to exchange a few words with you in confidence.我想私下和你交换点意见。

10 depths   

n.深( depth的名词复数 )；深处；深厚；浓度

参考例句：

• Marine life was discovered at depths previously thought to be azoic. 在先前被认为没有任何生命迹象的海洋深处发现了海洋生物。
• She gazed into the murky depths of the water. 她注视着那幽暗的水底。

11 due   

n.应得物；adj.预定的，应付的，到期的，应有的

参考例句：

• I received nothing except what was due to me.除了我应得的东西，我并未接受任何东西。
• The rocket is due to lift off at noon on Friday.火箭定于星期五中午发射。