October 17

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14)

They were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill¹ their prayers. They had asked for contrition², and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish³; they had asked to be meek⁴, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew⁵ all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver,"(Mal.3:3) until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.

They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe⁶ and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues⁷ have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32)

But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.

Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold⁸ Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness⁹, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.

Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."(.Rev¹⁰.14:4)

Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere━if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back━what would they not have lost? What forfeits¹¹ in the resurrection?

But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign¹² hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.━Anonymous.

十月十七日

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。因这十字架，就我而论，世界已经钉在十字架上。就世界而论，我已经钉在十字上架上。」 （加六:14）

有一班信徒，他们本来是为自己活着的━他们有自己的盼望，有自己的梦想；但是他们在祷告中求了一些他们自己所不明白的东西，主就开始成就他们的祷告。他们求一个痛悔的心，愿意出任何代价去得到它，主就给他们悲哀；他们求圣洁，主就给他们剧烈的痛苦；他们求谦和，主就打碎他们的心；他们求对着世界「死」，主就消灭他们一切的盼望；他们求像主，主就放他们在炉中，「坐下如炼净银子的」（玛三:3），直到他们反照出主的肖像来；他们求主的十字架，主就给他们十字架。

他们所求的，他们自己并不明白，但是主就照他们所求的允准他们。其实他们未必愿意跟主走得这么远，与主接触得这么近。他们的心充满了惧怕，好像雅各布在伯特利一般，又像门徒看见耶稣在海面上行走，以为是鬼怪一般。他们几乎会求主离开他们。他们觉得顺服比受苦容易，作比放容易，背十字架比挂十字架容易。但是那时候他们要想退回去，已经不可能了，因为他们已经走得太近了，十字架的功効在他们里面已经刺得太深了。主向他们成就了祂的应许：「我若从地上被举起来，就要吸引万人来归我。」（约十二:32）

以前他们只风闻这个奥秘，如今他们亲身尝到了。主已经把祂可爱的面容深深刻在他们心上，好像刻在马利亚和彼得心上一般；他们现在已经作了爱的奴隶，不能不拣选跟随祂了。

渐渐地，十字架的奥秘一天一天光照他们。他们看见祂被高举，他们看见祂得荣耀；他们看见一点，前进一点，最后他们竟变成了祂的肖像，从他们身上世人看见祂，因为祂住在他们里面。他们与祂发生了难以形容的交情；他们甘心舍弃别人所宝贵的合法权利，为要见证他们不像别人，只像他们的主。

这就是历代「羔羊无论往那里去，他们都跟随他。」（启十四:4）的那一批人。

如果让他们自己选择，或者让他们的朋友替他们选择的话，他们定规不会这样选择。他们会在这个世界上多得一点荣耀，在神国里少得一点荣耀。他们会得到罗得的命运，不会得到亚伯拉罕的命运。如果他们在半途上停住了━如果主放一放手让他们退回去的话━他们为甚么不会失去呢？在复活的时候要受到何等大的损失呢！

但是主保守他们━甚至违反他们的本心来保守他们。多少时候他们的脚滑跌了；但是主用祂的慈爱扶他们起来。让他们知道：在这个世界受苦，能叫他们在神国里掌权；在地上背十字架，能叫他们在天上戴冠冕。━无名氏

1 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

2 contrition   

n.悔罪，痛悔

参考例句：

• The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。
• She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。

3 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

4 meek   

adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的

参考例句：

• He expects his wife to be meek and submissive.他期望妻子温顺而且听他摆布。
• The little girl is as meek as a lamb.那个小姑娘像羔羊一般温顺。

5 slew   

v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多

参考例句：

• He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。
• They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

6 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

7 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

8 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

9 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

10 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

11 forfeits   

罚物游戏

参考例句：

• She regretted the forfeits she had to pay for selfassistance. 她为自己为了自助而必须付出的代价感到遗憾。
• They were soon to pay their own forfeits. 他们很快就得交纳他们的罚款了。

12 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。