September 9

"Not much earth" (Matt. 13:5).

Shallow! It would seem from the teaching of this parable¹ that we have something to do with the soil. The fruitful seed fell into "good and honest hearts." (Lk.8:15) I suppose the shallow people are the soil without much earth--those who have no real purpose, are moved by a tender appeal, a good sermon, a pathetic melody, and at first it looks as if they would amount to something; but not much earth--no depth, no deep, honest purpose, no earnest desire to know duty in order to do it. Let us look after the soil of our hearts.

When a Roman soldier was told by his guide that if he insisted on taking a certain journey it would probably be fatal, he answered, "It is necessary for me to go; it is not necessary for me to live."

This was depth. When we are convicted something like that we shall come to something. The shallow nature lives in its impulses, its impressions, its intuitions, its instincts, and very largely its surroundings. The profound character looks beyond all these, and moves steadily² on, sailing past all storms and clouds into the clear sunshine which is always on the other side, and waiting for the afterwards which always brings the reversion of sorrow, seeming defeat and failure.

When God has deepened us, then He can give us His deeper truths, His profoundest secrets, and His mightier³ trusts. Lord, lead me into the depths of Thy life and save me from a shallow experience! —Selected

On to broader fields of holy vision;

On to loftier heights of faith and love:

Onward⁴, upward, apprehending⁵ wholly,

All for which He calls thee from above.

--A.B.Simpson

九月九日

「有落在土浅石头地上的……。」（太十三5）

「….土浅！….」圣经告诉我们：好土是「诚实善良的心。」（路八15）那么，浅土是甚么呢？浅土乃是那些没有眞诚目的的心。一个温柔的请求，一篇良好的讲演，一首动人的诗歌，立刻就能感动他们；起初看看，似乎会有相当的成效；但是因为土浅，没有深入━没有进深的、诚实的目的；没有恳挚的欲望要明白眞理━不久就枯干了。亲爱的读者阿，让我们各人看看我们自己心里的土壤怎样。

有一次，一位罗把兵士决意要向某路前进，他的向导告诉他：这条路是很危险的，一不小心，就会丧命；这位罗马兵士回答说：「去是必需的；活不是必需的。」

这就是深入。肤浅的人，倚靠感情、印象、直觉、性好、环境而生活。深入的人，一点不看这些东西，他只知道向前行去，冲破一切风雨云雾，直至到了对岸晴朗的日光中。

当神将我们掘深了以后，祂纔能交付我们更多的眞理、更深的奥秘、更大的责任。主阿，求祢引我进入祢生命的深处！并救我脱离肤浅！－－选

1 parable   

n.寓言，比喻

参考例句：

• This is an ancient parable.这是一个古老的寓言。
• The minister preached a sermon on the parable of the lost sheep.牧师讲道时用了亡羊的比喻。

2 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

3 mightier   

adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其

参考例句：

• But it ever rises up again, stronger, firmer, mightier. 但是，这种组织总是重新产生，并且一次比一次更强大，更坚固，更有力。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
• Do you believe that the pen is mightier than the sword? 你相信笔杆的威力大于武力吗？

4 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

5 apprehending   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的现在分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• China has not been totally unsuccessful apprehending corruption suspects. 在逮捕腐化分子方面，中国并非毫无进展。
• Apprehending violence is not an easy task. 惧怕暴力不是一件容易的事。