十一月二十四日

在那裏，耶和華必顯威嚴與我們同在，當作江河寬闊之地。（賽33：21）

寬闊的江河使土地肥沃富饒。靠近寬大江河的地方出産既繁多又豐富。神對于他的教會也是這樣。教會有神就有豐富。凡她所求的有什麽他不給她呢？凡她所要的，有什麽他沒有呢？“在這山上，萬軍之耶和華必爲萬民用肥甘設擺筵席。”

你要生命糧嗎？它必如嗎哪一樣白天而降；你要甘美的溪水嗎？必有磐石隨著你，那磐石就是基督。若你有所缺少，那是你自己的錯；若你窮困，你的窮困幷不在他，而是在于你自己。江河寬闊之處，也是商業繁盛之區：我們榮耀的主對于我們好像是一個天上的商場。藉著我們的救贖主，我們便得與過去貿易；加弗瑞的豐富，恩約的寶藏，古時揀選的大福，永生的府庫，都藉著我們恩主的大河源源不絕地臨到了我們。我們與將來也有交易；河邊滿載的船隻已自禧年駛來！我們已看到聖城降在地上的异象！藉著我們榮耀的主，我們得以與天使交通；與那被寶血洗淨的光明聖者相交。不但這樣，我們還得與無始無終的神相交。寬闊的江河更有安全的意思：古時用江河的天險作爲屏障。

親愛的讀者！神必作他的教會的屏障！魔鬼不能渡過神寬廣的大河。它雖然欲使水逆流而行，但是不要怕，因爲神是永遠不改變的。撒但或者有這樣的圖謀，但它幷不能損害我們；“其中必沒有蕩槳搖櫓的船來往，也沒有威武的船經過。”

撒但可以加害于我們的肉身，但它不能危害我們的生命！

November 24

"The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams."--Isaiah 33:21

Broad rivers and streams produce fertility, and abundance in the land. Places near broad rivers are remarkable for the variety of their plants and their plentiful harvests. God is all this to his Church. Having God she has abundance. What can she ask for that he will not give her? What want can she mention which he will not supply? "In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things." Want ye the bread of life? It drops like manna from the sky. Want ye refreshing streams? The rock follows you, and that Rock is Christ. If you suffer any want it is your own fault; if you are straitened you are not straitened in him, but in your own bowels. Broad rivers and streams also point to commerce. Our glorious Lord is to us a place of heavenly merchandise. Through our Redeemer we have commerce with the past; the wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches of the ancient days of election, the stores of eternity, all come to us down the broad stream of our gracious Lord. We have commerce, too, with the future. What galleys, laden to the water's edge, come to us from the millennium! What visions we have of the days of heaven upon earth! Through our glorious Lord we have commerce with angels; communion with the bright spirits washed in blood, who sing before the throne; nay, better still, we have fellowship with the Infinite One. Broad rivers and streams are specially intended to set forth the idea of security. Rivers were of old a defence. Oh! beloved, what a defence is God to his Church! The devil cannot cross this broad river of God. How he wishes he could turn the current, but fear not, for God abideth immutably the same. Satan may worry, but he cannot destroy us; no galley with oars shall invade our river, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.