一月十日

有公義的冠冕為我存留（提後4:8）

疑惑的人哪！你常說：“我怕我永也不能進天堂。”不要怕，一切屬神的人都能進去。我很喜歡一個臨終的人所說的很稀罕的話，他說：“我不怕回家，我已打發一切先我而去；神的手指已在我的門閂上，我已預備妥當好讓它進來。”有人對他說：“你不怕失去你的產業嗎？”他說：“不，不。天堂上有一個冠冕，甚至天使加百列也不能戴的，除了我之外別人都戴不上。天堂上有一個寶座是使徒保羅所不能坐的，那寶座是為我所預備的，我必坐那寶座。”基督徒啊！這種思想是多麼令人快樂呀！你的份也是確定的，“必另有一安息為神的子民存留。”“但我能不失去它嗎？”不，那已經成了你的名分。若我已經是神的子民就不致失掉它。它是我的，像我親自在那裡是一樣地確定。信徒啊！來，和我一塊坐在尼波的頂上，看那迦南美地。你看到那在日光之下閃閃爍爍的小死河嗎？你看見天城的高聳的樓閣嗎？你看到那榮美之地和快樂的居民嗎？你要知道，若你能飛渡到那邊，你就能看到許多宮邸之中有一幢上面寫著說：“這一幢為某人存留，專為他所預備。他必被提，與神永遠同住。”可憐的疑惑的人啊！你看到那美好的基業嗎？那是你的。若你已經信了主耶穌，若你已經悔罪，若你已經換了一個新心，你就是屬主的一個子民，那裡就有一個地方為你定下，有一個冠冕為你存留，有一架琴特為你預備。別人不能得你的份，那是在天堂上所為你保留的，不久你就可以得到，因為當被選的人聚集在一起的時候，寶座上是不會有一個空位的。

January 10

"There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." --2 Timothy 4:8

Doubting one! thou hast often said, "I fear I shall never enter heaven." Fear not! all the people of God shall enter there. I love the quaint saying of a dying man, who exclaimed, "I have no fear of going home; I have sent all before me; God's finger is on the latch of my door, and I am ready for Him to enter." "But," said one, "are you not afraid lest you should miss your inheritance?" "Nay," said he, "nay; there is one crown in heaven which the angel Gabriel could not wear, it will fit no head but mine. There is one throne in heaven which Paul the apostle could not fill; it was made for me, and I shall have it." O Christian, what a joyous thought! thy portion is secure; "there remaineth a rest." "But cannot I forfeit it?" No, it is entailed. If I be a child of God I shall not lose it. It is mine as securely as if I were there. Come with me, believer, and let us sit upon the top of Nebo, and view the goodly land, even Canaan. Seest thou that little river of death glistening in the sunlight, and across it dost thou see the pinnacles of the eternal city? Dost thou mark the pleasant country, and all its joyous inhabitants? Know, then, that if thou couldst fly across thou wouldst see written upon one of its many mansions, "This remaineth for such a one; preserved for him only. He shall be caught up to dwell for ever with God." Poor doubting one, see the fair inheritance; it is thine. If thou believest in the Lord Jesus, if thou hast repented of sin, if thou hast been renewed in heart, thou art one of the Lord's people, and there is a place reserved for thee, a crown laid up for thee, a harp specially provided for thee. No one else shall have thy portion, it is reserved in heaven for thee, and thou shalt have it ere long, for there shall be no vacant thrones in glory when all the chosen are gathered in.