八月三十日

要等候耶和華！（詩27：14）

等候好象是一件很容易的事，但是基督的兵丁得用多年的功夫才能學會這種姿勢。神的戰士太會“開步走”、“正步走”了，“立正”反而不能習慣久耐。有很多人在仿徨之中雖願服侍神，但是不知所措。那末，該怎麽辦呢？就因煩惱而失望起來嗎？要懦怯地退後，懼怕地轉向，或是妄想地前進嗎？不，只要等候，無論如何要禱告等候。要求告神，把你的情形陳在他面前，把你的難處告訴他，求他的應許幫助你。在工作上左右兩難，不知該作什麽的時候，要像一個小孩子一樣謙卑地一心一意等候神。當我們感到自己的愚妄時，要誠心願意讓神的旨意來指引，但是要存著相信的心來等候。要向神表示你毫無猶豫的信心；因爲不信靠和不依靠的等候，就是羞辱神，就是他使你等候到夜半也要信，因他必在一定的時候臨到你；异象必來，絕不等待。要忍耐等候，不因在苦難之中而背弃神，而應爲此贊美他。不要發怨言，正像以色列人向摩西發怨言一樣；不要想再回到舊世界裏，乃要忍受，站立，全心一意，不隨已意地向那與你立約的神說：“神啊！現在不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思。我不知道該作什麽，我已臨到極度危難之中，但我願等候你退了洪水，逐回仇敵。若你使我等待多日，我願等候，因我的心單單定睛望你。我的神啊！我的靈魂等候你，幷全心信靠你是我的喜樂、我的救恩、我的避難所和我的堅固台。”

August 30

"Wait on the Lord." -- Psalm 27:14

It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still. There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption? No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God, and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid. In dilemmas between one duty and another, it is sweet to be humble as a child, and wait with simplicity of soul upon the Lord. It is sure to be well with us when we feel and know our own folly, and are heartily willing to be guided by the will of God. But wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him; for unfaithful, untrusting waiting, is but an insult to the Lord. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come and shall not tarry. Wait in quiet patience, not rebelling because you are under the affliction, but blessing your God for it. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses; never wish you could go back to the world again, but accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities, but I will wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for Thee in the full conviction that Thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower."