八月一日

容我往田間去，我蒙誰的恩，就在誰的身後拾取麥穗。（得2：2）

灰心失望，受苦受難的基督徒啊！來，到廣大的應許田間隨意拾取吧！那裏有豐富的、正合你需要的寶貴應許。你拾起這一個應許吧：“壓傷的蘆葦，他不折斷；將殘的燈火，他不吹滅。”這個應許不合乎你的情形嗎？一根柔弱、無力、細小、卑微的蘆葦，一根壓傷的蘆葦，再也奏不出什麽美妙的音樂，既軟弱又可憐；一根蘆葦，被壓傷的蘆葦，但是他不折斷，相反地，他還要使你復原，加力量給你。你像一盞將殘的燈火（冒烟的燈火），你沒有光，沒有熱；但他幷不吹滅你，他要用他恩憐的氣吹你，他要挑旺你的火。你不願意再拾一穗嗎？“凡勞苦擔重擔的人，可以到我這裏來，我就使你們得安息。”這話是多麽溫柔、和藹呀！

你的心是柔弱的，主知道，所以他用柔和慈祥的聲音和你說話。你願意順服他嗎？你願意現在就來到他的面前嗎？你再拾一穗吧：“你這蟲雅各和你們以色列人，不要害怕，耶和華你的救贖主，就是以色列的聖者說，我必幫助你。”（改譯）你既有這樣奇妙而可靠的應許，還害怕什麽呢？你還可以拾取千千萬萬相似的寶貴麥穗！“我塗抹了你的過犯，像厚雲消散；我塗抹了你的罪惡，如薄雲滅沒。”還有：“你們的罪雖像硃紅，必變成雪白；雖紅如丹顔，必白如羊毛。”或是：“聖靈和新婦都說：‘來！’……口渴的人也當來；願意的，都可以白白取生命的水喝。”我們主的田非常豐富；你所拾的不過是一小把。

你看：懦怯的信徒啊！那不是都擺在你的眼前嗎？你拾取吧！把它們當作你自己的，因爲耶穌叫你拾取。不要怕，只要信！抓住這些甜蜜的應許，用默想打出它們的麥粒來，快樂地食用吧！

August 1

"Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn." -- Ruth 2:2

Downcast and troubled Christian, come and glean to-day in the broad field of promise. Here are abundance of precious promises, which exactly meet thy wants. Take this one: "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." Doth not that suit thy case? A reed, helpless, insignificant, and weak, a bruised reed, out of which no music can come; weaker than weakness itself; a reed, and that reed bruised, yet, He will not break thee; but on the contrary, will restore and strengthen thee. Thou art like the smoking flax: no light, no warmth, can come from thee; but He will not quench thee; He will blow with His sweet breath of mercy till He fans thee to a flame. Wouldst thou glean another ear? "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." What soft words! Thy heart is tender, and the Master knows it, and therefore He speaketh so gently to thee. Wilt thou not obey Him, and come to Him even now? Take another ear of corn: "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." How canst thou fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? Thou mayest gather ten thousand such golden ears as these! "I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud, and like a thick cloud thy transgressions." Or this, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Or this, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely." Our Master's field is very rich; behold the handfuls. See, there they lie before thee, poor timid believer! Gather them up, make them thine own, for Jesus bids thee take them. Be not afraid, only believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out by meditation and feed on them with joy.