July 29

"Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the day of trouble?" (Job 38:22, 23.)

OUR trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles. It would be a haven¹ of rest and an inspiration of unspeakable power if each of us would henceforth recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and look around for the signals of His glorious manifestations²; then, indeed, would every cloud become a rainbow, and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration.

If we will look back upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our Heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us, and given us the richest blessings³, has been the time we were strained and shut in on every side, God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love. --- A. B. Simpson.

Trust Him in the dark, honor Him with unwavering confidence even in the midst of mysterious dispensations, and the recompense of such faith will be like the moulting of the eagle's plumes⁴, which was said to give them a new lease of youth and strength. --- J. R. Macduff.

"If we could see beyond today,

As God can see;

If all the clouds should roll away,

The shadows flee;

O'er presents griefs we would not fret⁵.

Each sorrow we would soon forget,

For many joys are waiting yet,

For you and me.

"If we could know beyond today,

As God doth know,

Why dearest treasures pass away,

And tears must flow;

And why the darioness leads to light,

Why dreary⁶ paths will soon grow bright;

Some day life's wrong will be made right, < so. us tells Faith>

"If we could see, if we could know;

We often say,

But God in love a veil doth throw,

Across our way;

We cannot see what lies before,

And so we cling to Him the more,

He leads us till this life is o'er; Trust and obey."

七月二十九日

「你曾....见过雹仓么？....这....雹乃是我为降灾....的日子所预备的。」（伯三十八: 22、23 ）

　　我们所遭遇的试炼是神给我们的好机会，我们却常常将它当作障碍。如果我们知道每一次的困难都是神所选的方法━向我们证明祂爱的方法━我们就能得到安息和激励。

　　让我们回想回想过去的经历，我们中间一定有许多人会记得：什么时候我们的父要替我们成就一件美事，要赐我们一件福份，什么时候我们就会遭到痛苦和逼迫。神送我们的礼物，总是包裹得很粗陋，藉皮色黝黑的仆人送来的；但是一打开来，我们就发现里面所包着的，是王宫里的珍宝和新郎的爱。── 信宣

　　读者，你当在黑暗中仰赖主，用不移的信心尊敬祂；这样，你就会得到新的力量。── 马克特夫

1 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

2 manifestations   

n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• These were manifestations of the darker side of his character. 这些是他性格阴暗面的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• To be wordly-wise and play safe is one of the manifestations of liberalism. 明哲保身是自由主义的表现之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 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》

4 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

5 fret   

v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损

参考例句：

• Don't fret.We'll get there on time.别着急，我们能准时到那里。
• She'll fret herself to death one of these days.她总有一天会愁死的.

6 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。