July 7

"He hath made me a polished shaft¹." (Isa. 49:2)

There is a very famous "Pebble² Beach" at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting³ roar, and rattles⁴ and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on━never any rest. And the result?

Tourists from all the world flock thither⁵ to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament⁶ the parlor⁷ mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove⁸, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles⁹ that have never been chosen by the traveler.

Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil¹⁰ and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid¹¹ of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.

Since God knows what niche¹² we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.

"O blows that smite¹³! O hurts that pierce

This shrinking heart of mine!

What are ye but the Master's tools

Forming a work Divine?"

"Nearly all God's jewels are crystallized tears."

七月七日

“祂使我成为磨亮的箭“ （赛四十九：2直译）

在美国加里福尼亚省派司开特罗地方，有一个著名的“卵石滩”。滩上的石子时时受着海滨大浪的冲击，有时被残酷的大浪卷去抛掷，有时被抛在尖锐的峭壁上受到擦磨。它们日夜受着这样的磨练，得到怎样的结果呢？

全世界的游客蜂拥着到那里去采集圆滑美丽的石子，采集了回去，将它们谨谨慎慎地安置在陈列室中，装饰在客室的壁板上。但是你如果到冲破海浪的峭壁尖顶去看，或者到风雨侵蚀不到的凹处去找，你能彀看见大量从来没有人去搜寻的卵石。

为甚么这些卵石总没有人来采集呢？唯一的原因就是因为它们没有经过海浪的冲击擦磨，它们平静的生活使它们变得又粗糙，又丑陋。啊，原来光泽是由苦难磨出来的！

神知道我们配做那种器皿，祂就将我们磨成那种器皿。祂知道我们要去担任的是那种工作，祂就照我们所需要的磨练我们，给我们相当的准备，我们只要完全信靠祂就是了。━选

猛烈的打击，痛苦的损伤，

刺碎我畏缩的心房。

岂不就是神所用的工具，

要把我们琢磨得雪亮精光。

神的每一颗宝石，几乎全是晶莹的泪珠。

1 shaft   

n.(工具的)柄，杆状物

参考例句：

• He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
• This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

2 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

3 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

4 rattles   

（使）发出格格的响声， （使）作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 )； 喋喋不休地说话； 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动，堕下或走动； 使紧张，使恐惧

参考例句：

• It rattles the windowpane and sends the dog scratching to get under the bed. 它把窗玻璃震得格格作响，把狗吓得往床底下钻。
• How thin it is, and how dainty and frail; and how it rattles. 你看它够多么薄，多么精致，多么不结实；还老那么哗楞哗楞地响。

5 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

6 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

7 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

8 cove   

n.小海湾，小峡谷

参考例句：

• The shore line is wooded,olive-green,a pristine cove.岸边一带林木蓊郁，嫩绿一片，好一个山外的小海湾。
• I saw two children were playing in a cove.我看到两个小孩正在一个小海湾里玩耍。

9 pebbles   

[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
• Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

10 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

11 devoid   

adj.全无的，缺乏的

参考例句：

• He is completely devoid of humour.他十分缺乏幽默。
• The house is totally devoid of furniture.这所房子里什么家具都没有。

12 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

13 smite   

v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿

参考例句：

• The wise know how to teach,the fool how to smite.智者知道如何教导，愚者知道怎样破坏。
• God will smite our enemies.上帝将击溃我们的敌人。