December 4

"He went up into a mountain apart" (Matt.14:23)

One of the blessings¹ of the old-time Sabbath was its calm, its restfulness, its holy peace. There is a strange strength conceived in solitude². Crows go in flocks and wolves in packs, but the lion and the eagle are solitaires.

Strength is not in bluster³ and noise. Strength is in quietness. The lake must be calm if the heavens are to be reflected on its surface. Our Lord loved the people, but how often we read of His going away from them for a brief season. He tried every little while to withdraw from the crowd. He was always stealing away at evening to the hills. Most of His ministry⁴ was carried on in the towns and cities by the seashore, but He loved the hills the best, and oftentimes when night fell He would plunge⁵ into their peaceful depths.

The one thing needed above all others today is that we shall go apart with our Lord, and sit at His feet in the sacred privacy of His blessed presence. Oh, for the lost art of meditation⁶! Oh, for the culture of the secret place! Oh, for the tonic⁷ of waiting upon God! ━Selected

"It is well to live in the valley sweet,

Where the work of the world is done,

Where the reapers⁸ sing in the fields of wheat,

As they toil⁹ till the set of sun.

But beyond the meadows, the hills I see

Where the noises of traffic cease,

And I follow a Voice that calleth to me

From the hilltop regions of peace.”

"Aye, to live is sweet in the valley fair,

And to toil till the set of sun;

But my spirit yearns¹⁰ for the hilltop's air

When the day and its work are done.

For a Presence breathes o'er the silent hills,

And its sweetness is living yet;

The same deep calm all the hillside fills,

As breathed over Olivet.”

"Every life that would be strong must have its Holy of Holies into which only God enters."

十二月四日

「祂就独自上山去祷告。」 （太十四:23）

古代安息日的福祉之一，就是它的幽寂与安静。寂静里面含蓄着一种奇异的能力。乌鸦和豺狼是喜欢集群的，狮子和鹫鹰，是喜欢单独的。

能力不在喧扰中，乃在安静中。湖水必须极其平静，纔能在面上映照出美丽的天空来。我们的主是极其爱世人的，可是多少次我们在经上读到祂暂时离开群众，退去祷告。祂工作的地方常在海边，可是祂最爱山上。所以我们看见祂晚间常上山去休息。

今天我们所最需要的一件事，乃是独自与主亲近，坐在祂脚前安静。哦，巴不得我们能恢复那已失去的默想的艺术！哦，巴不得我们能受到密室的教育！━选

生活在这山谷中，多么美好，

我们的工作就在这里完成，

收割的农人在麦田里歌唱，

他们辛勤到日落黄昏。

但我望见草原外的山巅，

那里没有一点喧嚣的市声，

我跟随着一个呼唤我的声音，

它发自宁静的峰顶。

不错,住在山谷里多么美好，

辛勤地耕作到日落黄昏；

但当一日工作结束的时辰，

我心向往着山顶。

因为有位神曾在山上吹气，

那甜美的气息存留至今；

和昔日在橄榄山一样，

所有的峰峦弥满着宁静。

「任何生命要想坚强，都必须有一个让神进入的至圣所。」

1 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》

2 solitude   

n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方

参考例句：

• People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
• They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。

3 bluster   

v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声

参考例句：

• We could hear the bluster of the wind and rain.我们能听到狂风暴雨的吹打声。
• He was inclined to bluster at first,but he soon dropped.起初他老爱吵闹一阵，可是不久就不做声了。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

6 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

7 tonic   

n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的

参考例句：

• It will be marketed as a tonic for the elderly.这将作为老年人滋补品在市场上销售。
• Sea air is Nature's best tonic for mind and body.海上的空气是大自然赋予的对人们身心的最佳补品。

8 reapers   

n.收割者，收获者( reaper的名词复数 )；收割机

参考例句：

• Ripe white wheat reapers reap ripe white wheat right. 成熟的白色小麦收割者最懂得收获成熟的白色小麦。 来自互联网
• A pair of reapers help fend off the attack. 几个收割者辅助攻击这些小狗。 来自互联网

9 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

10 yearns   

渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Every man yearns for sympathy in sorrow. 每个遇到不幸的人都渴望得到同情。
• What I dread is to get into a rut. One yearns for freshness of thought and ideas. 我害怕的就是墨守成规。人总是向往新思想和新观念的。