五月卅一日

王也過了汲淪溪……（撒下15：23）

大衛與哭泣著的臣僕為了躲避叛逆的兒子一同逃過了淒涼滿目的小溪。這位合神心意的人也免不了有患難，不，他的終生滿了患難。他是神的受膏者，也是神的受苦者。那末，我們為什麼要想逃脫呢？我輩當中最尊貴的都在悲傷的門內滿頭蒙灰，那末我們為什麼要抱怨，以為我們遭到了非常的事呢？萬王之王未曾行經康樂的大道，他也曾渡過污穢的汲淪溪，裡面滿了耶路撒冷一切汙物的小溪。神有一個沒有罪的兒子，便沒有一個不受刑杖的兒子。我們很相信耶穌曾經過我們所受過的一切試探。今天早晨我們的汲淪溪是什麼呢？是一位不忠實的朋友、一位故去的親人、譭謗的責備或是不詳的預兆嗎？我們的君王都渡過了這一切。是肉體的痛苦、貧窮、逼迫或輕蔑嗎？我們的君王都早已先我們渡過了這一切汲淪溪了。“在我們一切苦難中，他也同受苦難。”我們應當立刻並永遠趕出我們的錯誤念頭，以為我們受苦是希奇的異常的事，因為眾聖徒的頭，已經藉著受苦的經驗得知我們所認為是特殊的苦難了。錫安的一切居民都必不再哭泣了，因為我們的大君王以馬內利是那逃亡行列的元首和領袖。大衛雖然出亡，但他仍得勝回城，大衛的主已經從墳墓得勝復活了；我們也要放心大膽，因為我們今天也必得勝。我們仍可快樂地從救恩的泉源汲飲，現在我們還有一段時期得經過罪的憂傷的毒流。十字架的精兵要鼓勇向前，你的王已經得勝地渡過汲淪溪，你也必要過去。

May 31

"The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron." -- 2 Samuel 15:23

David passed that gloomy brook when flying with his mourning company from his traitor son. The man after God's own heart was not exempt from trouble, nay, his life was full of it. He was both the Lord's Anointed, and the Lord's Afflicted. Why then should we expect to escape? At sorrow's gates the noblest of our race have waited with ashes on their heads, wherefore then should we complain as though some strange thing had happened unto us?

The KING of kings himself was not favoured with a more cheerful or royal road. He passed over the filthy ditch of Kidron, through which the filth of Jerusalem flowed. God had one Son without sin, but not a single child without the rod. It is a great joy to believe that Jesus has been tempted in all points like as we are. What is our Kidron this morning? Is it a faithless friend, a sad bereavement, a slanderous reproach, a dark foreboding? The King has passed over all these. Is it bodily pain, poverty, persecution, or contempt? Over each of these Kidrons the King has gone before us. "In all our afflictions He was afflicted." The idea of strangeness in our trials must be banished at once and for ever, for He who is the Head of all saints, knows by experience the grief which we think so peculiar. All the citizens of Zion must be free of the Honourable Company of Mourners, of which the Prince Immanuel is Head and Captain.

Notwithstanding the abasement of David, he yet returned in triumph to his city, and David's Lord arose victorious from the grave; let us then be of good courage, for we also shall win the day. We shall yet with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation, though now for a season we have to pass by the noxious streams of sin and sorrow. Courage, soldiers of the Cross, the King himself triumphed after going over Kidron, and so shall you.