October 4

"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12)

Through his griefs Job came to his heritage. He was tried that his godliness might be confirmed. Are not my troubles intended to deepen my character and to robe me in graces I had little of before? I come to my glory through eclipses, tears, death. My ripest fruit grows against the roughest wall. Job's afflictions left him with higher conceptions of God and lowlier thoughts of himself. "Now," he cried, "mine eye seeth thee.(Job 42:5)

And if, through pain and loss, I feel God so near in His majesty¹ that I bend low before Him and pray, "Thy will be done,"(Mt.26:42) I gain very much. God gave Job glimpses of the future glory. In those wearisome days and nights, he penetrated² within the veil, and could say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."(Job 19:25) Surely the latter end of Job was more blessed than the beginning. ━In the Hour of Silence

"Trouble never comes to a man unless she brings a nugget of gold in her hand."

Apparent adversity will finally turn out to be the advantage of the right if we are only willing to keep on working and to wait patiently. How steadfastly³ the great victor souls have kept at their work, dauntless and unafraid! There are blessings⁴ which we cannot obtain if we cannot accept and endure suffering. There are joys that can come to us only through sorrow. There are revealings of Divine truth which we can get only when earth's lights have gone out. There are harvests which can grow only after the plowshare has done its work. ━Selected

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seamed with scars; martyrs⁵ have put on their coronation robes glittering with fire, and through their tears have the sorrowful first seen the gates of Heaven. ━Chapin

I shall know by the gleam and glitter;

Of the golden chain you wear,

By your heart’s calm strength in loving,

Of the fire you have had to bear.

Beat on, true heart, forever:

Shine bright, strong golden chain;

And bless the cleansing⁶ fire,

And the furnace of living pain!

━Adelaide Proctor

十月四日

「这样，耶和华后来赐福给乔布，比先前更多。」 （伯四十二:12）

乔布虽然遭遇了许多灾祸，结果却得到许多祝福。他受试炼，是为要证实他的敬虔。那么，我们今天的灾祸，岂非也是为要叫神得到荣耀吗？荣耀原是从眼泪中出来的。乔布的苦难使他更高看神，更低看自己。他喊叫说：「我从前风闻有祢，现在亲眼看见祢。」（伯四十二:5）

如果，在痛苦失望中，我们能感觉神的同在而求告说：「愿祢的意旨成全。」（太廿六:42）我们就有福了。乔布在痛苦之中，竟能看见说：「我知道我的救赎主活着。」（伯十九:25）这是多么不容易啊！果然，耶和华后来赐福给乔布，比先前更多。━译自静默的时候

患难每一次来找你，都是手里拿着一块黄金的。

如果我们能在患难中忍耐等候，患难至终必变成我们的祝福。如果我们不能忍受苦难，有许多祝福我们不能得到。有许多快乐是只能在忧伤中得到的。有许多眞理的光是只能在属地的光熄灭之后纔启示出来的。━选

最属灵的信徒都是从苦难中出来的；最伟大的人物都是佩戴着伤痕的；殉道者的冠冕都是闪着火花的，他们进入天门都是挂着眼泪带着愁容的。━卓秉

看到了它的光茫回照,

我认识你所带的金炼,何等宝贵,

体会了你的心,充满着爱的定力,

我知道你曾受烈火的锻炼。

真挚的心,让它永远跳动,

坚实的金炼,让它照耀明亮,

祝福那么砺性命的炼炉,

祝福那除净罪恶的火坑。

━普洛克脱

1 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

2 penetrated   

adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
• They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

3 steadfastly   

adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝

参考例句：

• So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着，停止了工作，直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

4 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》

5 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。