October 12

"And Joseph's master took him, and put him into a prison…But Jehovah was with Joseph… and that which he did, Jehovah made it to prosper¹" (Gen. 39:20-23)

When God lets us go to prison because we have been serving Him, and goes there with us, prison is about the most blessed place in the world that we could be in. Joseph seems to have known that. He did not sulk and grow discouraged and rebellious² because "everything was against him." If he had, the prison-keeper would never have trusted him so. Joseph does not even seem to have pitied himself.

Let us remember that if self-pity is allowed to set in, that is the end of us━until it is cast utterly³ from us. Joseph just turned over everything in joyous⁴ trust to God, and so the keeper of the prison turned over everything to Joseph. Lord Jesus, when the prison doors close in on me, keep me trusting, and keep my joy full and abounding⁵. Prosper Thy work through me in prison: even there, make me free indeed.━Selected

I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow; there you see the brightness of His face.━Madame Guyon

A little bird I am,

Shut from the fields of air,

And in my cage I sit and sing

To Him who placed me there;

Well pleased a prisoner to be,

Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.

My cage confines me round,

Abroad I cannot fly,

But though my wing is closely bound,

My soul is at liberty;

For prison walls cannot control,

The flight, the freedom of the soul.

I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow;

there you see the brightness of His face.

━Madame Guyon

十月十二日

「把约瑟下在监里…但耶和华与约瑟同在…耶和华使他所作的尽都顺利。」 （创卅十九:20-23）

如果神应许我们因为事奉祂的缘故被下在监里的话，祂必与我们同在；这样，监狱反成了世上最幸福的地方。约瑟知道这个。所以他在监狱里并不愤懑，并不沮丧，也并不反叛。如果他有一点点不甘心的表示，司狱也绝不会这样信任他了。约瑟连自怜的心也没有一点。

让我们记住：甚么时候我们容让自怜的心进来，甚么时候我们就完了。约瑟把所有的事情欢欢喜喜地交托神，所以司狱把所有的事情交托约瑟。主耶稣阿，当我被囚在监里的时候，求祢叫我能信靠、能喜乐。求祢藉着我在监狱里完成祢的工作。━选

我已经学会了喜爱黑暗；因为处境越黑暗，主的脸越光明。━盖恩夫人

我是一只小鸟，

隔离了空旷的天空，

可是我坐在笼中歌唱，

感赞祂把我放好,

我高兴做个囚徒，

因为这样才叫祂喜悦。

笼子围困着我，

我不能飞出笼外,

但翅膀虽受束缚，

灵魂却自逍遥,

因为监狱控制不了,

灵魂的自由崇拜。

我已经学会了喜爱黑暗;

因为,处境越黑暗,主的脸越光明。

━盖恩夫人

1 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

2 rebellious   

adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的

参考例句：

• They will be in danger if they are rebellious.如果他们造反，他们就要发生危险。
• Her reply was mild enough,but her thoughts were rebellious.她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。

3 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

4 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

5 abounding   

adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Ahead lay the scalloped ocean and the abounding blessed isles. 再往前是水波荡漾的海洋和星罗棋布的宝岛。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
• The metallic curve of his sheep-crook shone silver-bright in the same abounding rays. 他那弯柄牧羊杖上的金属曲线也在这一片炽盛的火光下闪着银亮的光。 来自辞典例句