November 11

“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass”(Ps.72:6)

Amos speaks of the king's mowings. Our King has many scythes³, and is perpetually mowing¹ His lawns. The musical tinkle⁴ of the whetstone on the scythe² portends⁵ the cutting down of myriads⁶ of green blades, daisies and other flowers. Beautiful as they were in the morning, within an hour or two they lie in long, faded rows.

Thus in human life we make a brave show, before the scythe of pain, the shears⁷ of disappointment, the sickle⁸ of death.

There is no method of obtaining a velvety⁹ lawn but by repeated mowings; and there is no way of developing tenderness, evenness, sympathy, but by the passing of God's scythes. How constantly the Word of God compares man to grass, and His glory to its flower! But when grass is mown, and all the tender shoots are bleeding, and desolation reigns¹⁰ where flowers were bursting, it is the most acceptable time for showers of rain falling soft and warm.

O soul, thou hast been mown! Time after time the King has come to thee with His sharp scythe. Do not dread¹¹ the scythe—it is sure to be followed by the shower. ━F. B. Meyer

“When across the heart deep waves of sorrow,

Break, as on a dry and barren shore;

When hope glistens¹² with no bright tomorrow,

And the storm seems sweeping¹³ evermore;”

“When the cup of every earthly gladness,

Bears no taste of the life-giving stream;

And high hopes, as though to mock our sadness,

Fade and die as in some fitful dream,”

“Who shall hush¹⁴ the weary spirit's chiding¹⁵?

Who the aching void within shall fill?

Who shall whisper of c peace abiding¹⁶,

And each surging billow calmly still?”

“Only He whose wounded heart was broken

With the bitter cross and thorny¹⁷ crown;

Whose dear love glad words of joy had spoken,

Who His life for us laid meekly¹⁸ down. ”

“Blessed Healer, all our burdens lighten;

Give us peace, Thine own sweet peace, we pray !

Keep us near Thee till the morn shall brighten,

And all the mists and shadows flee away ! ”

十一月十一日

「祂必降临，像雨降在已割的草地上。」（诗七十二:6）

阿摩司曾谈到列王割草的事。我们的王有许多镰刀,永远在刈割祂的草地,磨刀霍霍之声,预告着要割去草的数种绿叶,和雏菊等一些杂在草中的野花。虽然,它们在早晨很美丽,不出一两个钟头,那被割的部份都要倒入枯萎的行列之中。

人生也同样在其痛苦的刈割,失望的收剪,和伤残的芟削之前,表现出勇敢的精神。

要得到一块柔润的草地，唯一的方法就是常常割草；要得到一个温柔、和平、怜悯的心，唯一的方法就是常经神的镰刀割修。当草刚割好，嫩枝还在出血的时候，能有一阵柔细、温暖的小雨降在上面，是非常舒服的。所以经上也说：「….雨降在已割的草地上。」

信徒阿，你是不是正在被神的镰刀修割呢？不要怕镰刀━镰刀后面定规有细雨跟着的。━梅尔

当悲哀的巨浪掠过心头,

像冲上了荒凉的海岸,

当前途黯淡,失去了光辉,

暴风雨似乎永无止限;

当每一只尘世欢乐之杯,

尝不出生命之泉的甘味;

当希望似在讥笑着我们的悲哀,

而彷佛在捉摸不定的梦中消退。

谁会充填痛苦的空虚;

谁会平息精疲力竭的怨声?

谁会高唱永久和平之歌?

使汹涌的浪涛变得安宁?

唯有祂,十字架和荆冠,

破碎了祂那受伤心肠,

祂为我们忍受羞辱与谦卑,

祂的爱说出了喜悦的福音。

赐福之救主,减轻了我们的负担;

求祢把甜美的平安赐给我们!

使我们靠近祢,直到雾浓和阴影,

完全消隐,天色光明!

1 mowing   

n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lawn needs mowing. 这草坪的草该割了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• "Do you use it for mowing?" “你是用它割草么？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

2 scythe   

n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割

参考例句：

• He's cutting grass with a scythe.他正在用一把大镰刀割草。
• Two men were attempting to scythe the long grass.两个人正试图割掉疯长的草。

3 scythes   

n.（长柄）大镰刀( scythe的名词复数 )v.（长柄）大镰刀( scythe的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Scythes swished to and fro. 长柄大镰刀嗖嗖地来回挥动。 来自辞典例句
• I'll tell you what: go to the forge now and get some more scythes. 我告诉你怎么做：你现在就去铁匠店多买几把镰刀回来。 来自互联网

4 tinkle   

vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声

参考例句：

• The wine glass dropped to the floor with a tinkle.酒杯丁零一声掉在地上。
• Give me a tinkle and let me know what time the show starts.给我打个电话，告诉我演出什么时候开始。

5 portends   

v.预示( portend的第三人称单数 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告

参考例句：

• Fame portends trouble for men just as fattening does for pigs. 人怕出名猪怕壮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It portends we are in danger. 这预示我们陷入危险。 来自互联网

6 myriads   

n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each galaxy contains myriads of stars. 每一星系都有无数的恒星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sky was set with myriads of stars. 无数星星点缀着夜空。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 shears   

n.大剪刀

参考例句：

• These garden shears are lightweight and easy to use.这些园丁剪刀又轻又好用。
• With a few quick snips of the shears he pruned the bush.他用大剪刀几下子就把灌木给修剪好了。

8 sickle   

n.镰刀

参考例句：

• The gardener was swishing off the tops of weeds with a sickle.园丁正在用镰刀嗖嗖地割掉杂草的顶端。
• There is a picture of the sickle on the flag. 旗帜上有镰刀的图案。

9 velvety   

adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的

参考例句：

• a velvety red wine 醇厚的红葡萄酒
• Her skin was admired for its velvety softness. 她的皮肤如天鹅绒般柔软，令人赞叹。

10 reigns   

n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期

参考例句：

• In these valleys night reigns. 夜色笼罩着那些山谷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Queen of Britain reigns, but she does not rule or govern. 英国女王是国家元首，但不治国事。 来自辞典例句

11 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

12 glistens   

v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The lake glistens in the moonlight. 湖水在月光下闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• VC:You forever are that star which in my heart most glistens. 翻译：你永远是我心中最闪亮的那一颗星。 来自互联网

13 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

14 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

15 chiding   

v.责骂，责备( chide的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was chiding her son for not being more dutiful to her. 她在责骂她儿子对她不够孝尽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She called back her scattered maidens, chiding their alarm. 她把受惊的少女们召唤回来，对她们的惊惶之状加以指责。 来自辞典例句

16 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

17 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

18 meekly   

adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地

参考例句：

• He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》