九月二日

西門的岳母正害熱病躺著，就有人告訴耶穌。（可1：30）

讓我們現在到作使徒的漁夫家中看一看吧！這是一件有趣的事：我們馬上可以看到家庭的憂樂都不能攔阻主的工作。不，它們反能使人有機會見證主在自己的骨肉身上所成的恩工。它們是教誨人的最好方法。教皇黨徒以及某種會派的人反對婚姻，但是真正的基督教與家庭生活是幷行不悖的。彼得的家或許是簡陋的漁舍，但榮耀的主進入其中，住在其中，幷在其中行了一件神迹。今晨願我們在一個卑微的茅屋中閱讀本書，藉此鼓勵我們尋求君王耶穌的密切交往。神常在陋室中，而不常在富麗的皇宮中。耶穌現在正巡視你的屋子，要恩待你。病痛進了彼得的家，致命的熱病使他的岳母臥床不起。當耶穌到那裏之後，他們就把這一件悲痛的事告訴了他，他立即走到病床之前。

今晨你家有什麽患病的人嗎？耶穌乃是一位最好的大醫生，你應當把一切都告訴他，趕快把這事放在他面前。因爲這是關乎他民的事，所以他絕不嫌煩絮。你再細讀：“熱就退了。”救主馬上把她治好了；沒有一個醫生能像他這樣手到病除的。我們不知道主是否把我們所愛之人的一切病都除去，但我們知道只要爲病存著信心來禱告必然即時得到痊愈，這是世上一切別的方法所及不上的。若是不能得到痊愈，我們也必須謙卑地伏拜掌管生死的主。耶穌的慈心等待垂聽我們一切的憂患，讓我們把一切都傾倒在他忍耐的耳中。

September 2

"But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell Him of her." -- Mark 1:30

Very interesting is this little peep into the house of the Apostolic Fisherman. We see at once that household joys and cares are no hindrance to the full exercise of ministry, nay, that since they furnish an opportunity for personally witnessing the Lord's gracious work upon one's own flesh and blood, they may even instruct the teacher better than any other earthly discipline. Papists and other sectaries may decry marriage, but true Christianity and household life agree well together. Peter's house was probably a poor fisherman's hut, but the Lord of Glory entered it, lodged in it, and wrought a miracle in it. Should our little book be read this morning in some very humble cottage, let this fact encourage the inmates to seek the company of King Jesus. God is oftener in little huts than in rich palaces. Jesus is looking round your room now, and is waiting to be gracious to you. Into Simon's house sickness had entered, fever in a deadly form had prostrated his mother-in-law, and as soon as Jesus came they told Him of the sad affliction, and He hastened to the patient's bed. Have you any sickness in the house this morning? You will find Jesus by far the best physician, go to Him at once and tell Him all about the matter. Immediately lay the case before Him. It concerns one of His people, and therefore will not be trivial to Him. Observe, that at once the Saviour restored the sick woman; none can heal as He does. We may not make sure that the Lord will at once remove all disease from those we love, but we may know that believing prayer for the sick is far more likely to be followed by restoration than anything else in the world; and where this avails not, we must meekly bow to His will by whom life and death are determined. The tender heart of Jesus waits to hear our griefs, let us pour them into His patient ear.