March 31

"'The wind was contrary." (Matt. 14:24)

Rude and blustering¹ the winds of March often are. Do they not typify the tempestuous² seasons of my life? But, indeed, I ought to be glad that I make acquaintance with these seasons. Better it is that the rains descend³ and the floods come than that I should stay perpetually in the Lotus Land where it seems always afternoon, or in that deep meadowed Valley of Avilion where never wind blows loudly. Storms of temptation appear cruel, but do they not give intenser earnestness to prayer? Do they not compel me to seize the promises with a tighter hand grip? Do they not leave me with a character refined?

Storms of bereavement⁴ are keen; but, then, they are one of the Father's ways of driving me to Himself, that in the secret of His presence His voice may speak to my heart, soft and low. There is a glory of the Master which can be seen only when the wind is contrary and the ship tossed with waves.

"Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing."

Oh, set your sail to the heavenly gale,

And then, no matter what winds prevail,

No reef can wreck⁵ you, no calm delay;

No mist shall hinder, no storm shall stay;

Though far you wander and long you roam

Through salt sea sprays and o'er white sea foam,

No wind that can blow but shall speed you Home.

--Annie Johnson Flint.　

　 三月三十一日

“那时船在水中，因风不顺，被浪摇撼”（太十四：24）

有的季节，往往刮着狂风。岂不象征着人生的坎坷？但能体验这种季节，我应该觉得欣幸。如果求远留在希腊神话中的百合花乡，那里的气候终年如一日，或永远留在绿草如茵的极乐岛，那里总是吹着和煦的轻风，与其如此，我宁愿有大雨的倾注，风潮的来临。试炼的风雨虽是狂暴，但我因此而有了更虔诚的祈祷，不仅使我把神的应许抓得更紧，而且使我的人格能提炼得更为纯洁。

风雨的磨难是尖锐的，但这是神驱驰我们接近他的方法之一，在他冥冥存在之中，用轻柔低沉的声音，向我们说话，透入我们心之深处。主的荣耀，也只有在逆风及船舶为巨浪所抛掷的时候，才能显现。

基督不能保证暴风雨之不来，但他能保证你在暴雨中的绝对安全。他没有应许你旅程的平静无事，他只应许你能安全到达目的地。

趁着天赐的风，扬帆出航，

然后不管它的顺逆强弱，

只向前进，不怕任何阻挠，

没有暗礁或雾能使你遭殃。

风雨不会如此永远猖狂，

也许要漂荡较长的时间，

绕道较远，终必送你回家，

结束碧白浪间的彷徨。

——富林德

1 blustering   

adj.狂风大作的，狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹

参考例句：

• It was five and a half o'clock now, and a raw, blustering morning. 这时才五点半，正是寒气逼人，狂风咆哮的早晨。 来自辞典例句
• So sink the shadows of night, blustering, rainy, and all paths grow dark. 夜色深沉，风狂雨骤；到处途暗路黑。 来自辞典例句

2 tempestuous   

adj.狂暴的

参考例句：

• She burst into a tempestuous fit of anger.她勃然大怒。
• Dark and tempestuous was night.夜色深沉，狂风肆虐，暴雨倾盆。

3 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

4 bereavement   

n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛

参考例句：

• the pain of an emotional crisis such as divorce or bereavement 诸如离婚或痛失亲人等情感危机的痛苦
• I sympathize with you in your bereavement. 我对你痛失亲人表示同情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。