December 19

"It shall turn to you for a testimony¹'' (Luke21:13)

Life is a steep climb, and it does the heart good to have somebody "call back" and cheerily beckon² us on up the high hill. We are all climbers together, and we must help one another. This mountain climbing is serious business, but glorious. It takes strength and steady step to find the summits. The outlook widens with the altitude. If anyone among us has found anything worth while, we ought to "call back." ━Selected

If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back━

'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony³ track;

And if perchance, Faith's light is dim, because the oil is low,

Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.

Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm;

Call back, and say He kept you when the forest's roots were torn; That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill,

He bore you up and held you where the very air was still.

Oh, friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face,

They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race;

But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim,

And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him.

But if you'll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry,

And if you'll say He saw you through the night's sin-darkened sky━

If you have gone a little way ahead, oh, friend, call back━

'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track.

━selected

十二月十九日

「这些事终必为你们的见证。」 （路廿一:13）

基督人的生活是爬山的生活；如果爬在前面的人能常回头喊一声，笑一笑，点一点头，招一招手，对于爬在后面的人是大有帮助的。我们都是爬山的人，我们应该互相帮助、勉励，纔是。这样的爬山是顶危险的，可是也是顶荣耀的。我们要爬上山顶，一方面必须费力，一方面必须谨慎、坚忍。我们越爬得高，前途的景色越望得清。我们中间如果有甚么人发现了甚么值得注意的东西，应该立即回头喊一声，叫后面疲倦的同伴得着兴奋。━选

如果你走在我前面不远,请回头喊一声━

这会振作我心,帮助我脚,爬上崎岖的路；

假若信心之光,因灯油将尽而暗淡,

你的喊声,能照亮我疲倦而落后的路程。

回头喊一声,告诉我:祂陪你走入暴风之中；

回头喊一声,告诉我: 祂保护了你,当树倒根起,；

当雷电和地震摇撼着山岗,

祂扶持着你,把你带到宁静的空气里。

朋友啊,回头喊一声,因为我看不清你的脸；

他们说你在飞奔,你的脸色十分高兴；

但我们之间隔着迷雾,我灵的视线模糊不清；

我虽渴望听祂的福音,但看不到祂的荣光。

告诉我,祂听着你的祈祷,虽然那只是哀号,

告诉我,祂看见了你,虽然罪恶遮黑了夜空━

假若你走在我前面不远,请回头喊一声━

这会振作我心,帮助我脚爬上山峰。

━选

1 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

2 beckon   

v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意，召唤

参考例句：

• She crooked her finger to beckon him.她勾勾手指向他示意。
• The wave for Hawaii beckon surfers from all around the world.夏威夷的海浪吸引着世界各地的冲浪者前来。

3 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。