June 12

"In everything ye are enriched by him." (1 Cor. 1:5)

Have you ever seen men and women whom some disaster drove to a great act of prayer, and by and by the disaster was forgotten, but the sweetness of religion remained and warmed their souls?

So have I seen a storm in later spring; and all was black, save where the lightning tore the cloud with thundering rent.

The winds blew and the rains fell, as though heaven had opened its windows. What a devastation¹ there was! Not a spider's web that was out of doors escaped the storm, which tore up even the strong-branched oak.

But ere long the lightning had gone by, the thunder was spent and silent, the rain was over, the western wind came up with its sweet breath, the clouds were chased away, and the retreating storm threw a scarf of rainbows over her fair shoulders and resplendent neck, and looked back and smiled, and so withdrew and passed out of sight.

But for weeks long the fields held up their bands full of ambrosial² flowers, and all the summer through the grass was greener, the brooks³ were fuller, and the trees cast a more umbrageous⁴ shade, because the storm passed by--though all the rest of the earth had long ago forgotten the storm, its rainbows and its rain. --Theodore Parker.

God may not give us an easy journey to the Promised Land, but He will give us a safe one.--Bonar.

It was a storm that occasioned the discovery of the gold mines of India. Hath not a storm driven some to the discovery of the richer mines of the love of God in Christ?

Is it raining, little flower?

Be glad of rain;

Too much sun would wither⁵ thee;

'Twill shine again.

The clouds are very black, 'tis true;

But just behind them shines the blue.

Art thou weary, tender heart?

Be glad of pain:

In sorrow sweetest virtues⁶ grow,

As flowers in rain.

God watches, and thou wilt⁷ have sun,

When clouds their perfect work have done.

--Lucy Larcom.

　 六月十二日

“因你们在他里面凡事富足……”（林前一：5）。

　　有人在灾难中或逼迫中的时候，驱使他们作了虔诚的祈祷，但不久难处过去，他记忆中的痕迹亦退去，可是对于神对他们呼求而保守他们的甘甜，仍留存心头，永远温暖他们的心灵；你曾否看见过这样的信徒吗？

　　我曾经历过暮春时节的一场暴风雨，它所启示的意义，很值得拿来印证一下：那日黑云蔽天，云层中闪闪的电光外整个大地都被黑暗笼罩了。

　　暴风怒吼，大雨如注，好像天上开了许多大洞。何等可怕的一场风雨，屋檐前的蛛网亦无一幸存，就是粗枝大叶的橡树都被连根拔起。

　　但不久雷声渐稀，闪电亦竭，风收雨止，云开天晴，轻轻的西风带来清新的空气，阵雨业已过去，留下半圆弧形的彩虹，悬挂在天际。

经过这场风雨的洗礼之后，有好多日子，田野开满了芬芳的花卉，整个夏天，青草长得更为葱绿，溪水更为充足，然而都早已忘记了这场风雨和当时的彩虹。

神引导我们走到蒙福之地去的路，也许不易行走，但他会给我们预备一条安全的路。

有一场暴风雨曾帮助人们发现了印度的金矿，难道没有暴风雨促使人们在基督里发现那更丰富的宝藏。神的爱！

小小的花，雨从天而下，

你要喜欢它的倾泻，

太多的阳光会使你枯萎，

你可等它重现光华。

此刻乌云诚属黑暗，

背后却是蔚蓝如画。

温柔的心，你是否倦了？

你要喜欢苦痛的缠绕，

悲恸产生了美德，

像雨中长出的花草。

乌云完成了使命，

阳光依旧如此美好。——拉康

1 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ambrosial   

adj.美味的

参考例句：

• The ambrosial aroma of the roast whetted our appetites.烤肉的美味香气刺激了我们的食欲。
• Are you nostrils a quiver and tingling as well at that delicate,luscious ambrosial smell?您是否感到香气扑鼻、熏人欲醉、垂涎欲滴？

3 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 umbrageous   

adj.多荫的

参考例句：

• They have not been as umbrageous in demanding their territory back. 他们从未以如此好战的态度要求归还领土。 来自互联网

5 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

6 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

7 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。