December 5

"O Lord , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer.10:23)

"Lead me in a plain path" (Ps. 27:14)

Many people want to direct God, instead of resigning themelves to be directed by Him; to show Him a way, instead of passively following where He leads.

━Madame Guyon

I said:"Let me walk in the field”;

God said: 'Nay¹, walk in the town”;

I said:"There are no flowers there”;

He said: :" No flowers, but a crown.”

I said: "But the sky is black,

There is nothing but noise and din² ";

But He wept as He sent me back,

"There is more, " He said, "there is sin.

I said: "But the air is thick,

And fogs are veiling the sun";

He answered: "Yet souls are sick,

And souls in the dark undone³. "

I said: "I shall miss the light,

And friends will miss me, they say";

He answered me, "Choose tonight,

If I am to miss you, or they. "

I pleaded for time to be given;

He said: "Is it hard to decide?

It will not seem hard in Heaven

To have followed the steps of your Guide. "

I cast one look at the fields,

Then set my face to the town;

He said: "My child, do you yield?

Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine,

And into my heart came He;

And I walk in a light Divine,

The path I had feared to see.

━George MacDonald

十二月五日

「耶和华阿，我晓得人的道路不由自己。行路的人，也不能定自己的脚步。」 （耶十:23）

「求祢……引导我走平坦的路。」（诗廿七:11）

许多人非但不听从神的指导，反要指导神；非但不跟神走，反要神跟他走。━盖恩夫人

我说:「让我走向野外」，

神说: 「不，你要领略城市的壮观」，

我说:「那里没有花」，

祂说: 「没有花，却有一顶王冠」。

我说:「可是天空乌黑,

只有喧哗与污浊。」;

而祂含泪看着我,

说道:「还有罪恶。」

我说:「可是天气阴霾,

浓雾遮掩了阳光。」;

祂答道:「正因为人们有病,

黑暗中盼望医疗之方。」

我说:「我将失去光明,

朋友也将失去我这个伴侣。」;

祂回答说:「今夜就选择,

失去他们,还是与我共处。」

我恳求祂给我考虑的时间,

祂说:「这有甚么难于决定?

在天堂的观点看来,

只要跟随你向导者的足印。」

我回头向野外看了一眼,

然后转脸对着城市。

祂说:「你愿意了吗?

为王冠而放弃花儿呢?」

然后我让祂握住我的手,

祂进入我的心灵；

在神圣的光照下,

走向了先前所害怕的路径。

━麦克唐纳

1 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

2 din   

n.喧闹声，嘈杂声

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。

3 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。