July 4

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Hab. 2:3)

In the charming little booklet, Expectation Corner, Adam Slowman was led into the Lord's treasure houses, and among many other wonders there revealed to him was the "Delayed Blessings¹ Office," where God kept certain things, prayed for, until the wise time came to send them.

It takes a long time for some pensioners² to learn that delays are not denials. Ah, there are secrets of love and wisdom in the "Delayed Blessings Department," which are little dreamt of! Men would pluck their mercies green when the Lord would have them ripe. "Therefore will the Lord WAIT, that He may be gracious unto you" (Isa. 30:18). He is watching in the hard places and will not allow one trial too many; He will let the dross³ be consumed, and then He will come gloriously to your help.

Do not grieve Him by doubting His love. Nay⁴, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on the way to you, and you will be abundantly rewarded for the delay which has tried your faith.

O Thou of little faith,

God hath not failed thee yet!

When all looks dark and gloomy,

Thou dost so soon forget━

Forget that He has led thee,

And gently cleared thy way;

On clouds has poured His sunshine,

And turned thy night to day.

And if He's helped thee hitherto,

He will not fail thee now;

How it must wound His loving heart

To see thy anxious brow!

Oh! doubt not any longer,

To Him commit thy way,

Whom in the past thou trusted,

And is "just the same today."

━Selected

七月四日

“因为这默示有一定的日期，…虽然迟延，还要等待。因为必然临到，不再迟延” （哈二：3）

有一本美丽的小书，名叫《期望所》，里面讲到斯罗门在异象中进入神的储藏室，在那里他看见了许多奇异的东西。在许多奇异的东西中间，有一间“延福室”，里面藏着人们向神求告的一切东西；神将那些东西留在储藏室内，等候相当的时日赐给人们。

许多人不明白，“迟延”不是“拒绝”。他们不能领会“迟延”是神的慈爱和智慧！以赛亚三十章十八节说：“耶和华必然等候，要赐恩给你们”。你所遭遇的患难，祂都知道；祂必定不是叫过于你能忍受的试炼临到你；祂必须等到你里面的废物都烧尽了，纔来救助你。

读者，你不要怀疑神的慈爱来伤神的慈心。你应当为着正在途中的拯救抬起头来赞美祂；这样，你一定会得到更丰富的报偿。

信心微小的信徒啊，

神何尝把你遗弃？

在一切似若黑暗无望之时，

你竟这么快就把真理忘记。

忘记了祂曾带你前行，

温和地为你把路开平，

祂的太阳曾照透密云，

把你的黑暗变成光明。

祂旣一直给你帮助，

如今决不会把你辜负，

这将如何伤祂慈爱的心，

假若看到你如此烦恼。

把你的前途交托给神，

不要再存怀疑之心，

你过去虔诚信靠的祂，

从不改变，自古至今。

━选

1 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》

2 pensioners   

n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

3 dross   

n.渣滓；无用之物

参考例句：

• Caroline felt the value of the true ore,and knew the deception of the flashy dross.卡罗琳辨别出了真金的价值，知道那种炫耀的铁渣只有迷惑人的外表。
• The best players go off to the big clubs,leaving us the dross.最好的队员都投奔大俱乐部去了，就只给我们剩下些不中用的人。

4 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。