十月九日

那能保守你們不失脚……（猶：24）

從某一方面看天路是很平穩的，但從另一方面說沒有一條路比這一條更艱險了。其中滿了困難。一失足，（若是沒有神的恩典，這是多麽容易的一件事呀！）就走入歧途。我們當中有一些人所走的路是多麽滑呀！我們常用詩人的話說：“我的脚幾乎失閃，我的脚險些滑跌。”若我們是一些强壯而健步的爬山的人，這當然不算一回什麽事了；但我們是多麽地軟弱呀！我們在康莊的大道上也會顛躓，在平坦的大路上也易跌倒。我們的雙膝無力支持我們搖搖欲墜的身體。一根草能絆跌我們，一塊小石子能傷損我們；我們在信心的道路上好像是才學步的小孩子，我們的天父用手扶著我們，不然我們就必跌倒。

我們真該贊美神，因爲他天天耐心地看顧我們，爲的是保守我們不傾跌！你想，我們是多麽容易犯罪、選擇危險、自甘跌倒呀！但這些更能使我們高唱：“那能保守你們不失脚……願榮耀……歸于他。”魔鬼千方百計地想把我們打倒。路途崎嶇，身體疲弱，再加上惡敵四伏，它們就在懸崖絕壁之間乘我們不備的時候，起而攻擊我們，打倒我們。只有全能者能救我們脫離要毀壞我們的埋伏著的仇敵。他的膀臂要保護我們。他的應許是信實的，幷且他能保守我們不跌倒。我們雖然軟弱無力，但我們要快樂，要堅信我們必十分平安。“就是世界和地獄一同來攻擊我，只要有耶穌的神能與我同在，就必平安穩妥；因他是我的一切。”

October 9

"Able to keep you from falling."--Jude 24

In some sense the path to heaven is very safe, but in other respects there is no road so dangerous. It is beset with difficulties. One false step (and how easy it is to take that if grace be absent), and down we go. What a slippery path is that which some of us have to tread! How many times have we to exclaim with the Psalmist, "My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped." If we were strong, sure-footed mountaineers, this would not matter so much; but in ourselves, how weak we are! In the best roads we soon falter, in the smoothest paths we quickly stumble. These feeble knees of ours can scarcely support our tottering weight. A straw may throw us, and a pebble can wound us; we are mere children tremblingly taking our first steps in the walk of faith, our heavenly Father holds us by the arms or we should soon be down. Oh, if we are kept from falling, how must we bless the patient power which watches over us day by day! Think, how prone we are to sin, how apt to choose danger, how strong our tendency to cast ourselves down, and these reflections will make us sing more sweetly than we have ever done, "Glory be to him, who is able to keep us from falling." We have many foes who try to push us down. The road is rough and we are weak, but in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them, and labour to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest precipice. Only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes, who are seeking to destroy us. Such an arm is engaged for our defence. He is faithful that hath promised, and he is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety, and say, with joyful confidence,

"Against me earth and hell combine,

But on my side is power divine;

Jesus is all, and he is mine!"