十二月十四日

他們行走，力上加力。（詩84：7）

他們力上加力地行走。這話有很多譯法，但是都有前進的意思。

無論怎麽譯都好。他們越走越有勁，越長越强健。平常的時候，我們走路開頭有力，慢慢地就發了軟弱；起行的時候精神抖擻，步伐整齊，但是漸漸地路途崎嶇了，太陽也熱了，我們就坐在路邊歇息一會，然後再拔起我們酸痛疲弱的脚趕上漫漫的征途。但是走天路的基督徒却源源不絕地得到新鮮的恩典，雖然奮鬥行走了多年，他的體力依然和起初一樣的健壯旺盛。或許他不像原先那末活潑輕快，或許他不像當初那麽熱烈急切；但他的力量却已大增，他走得雖然很緩慢，但是却很正確。有很多頭髮斑白的老練基督徒，真道把握得更牢靠，幷且和幼年時一樣熱切的傳揚那真道；但是，可惜，我們也必須承認有很多相反的情形，有許多人的愛心冷淡了，過犯加增了，這乃是他們自己的罪，幷非神大有功效的應許有什麽錯：“就是少年人也要疲乏困倦，强壯的也必全然跌倒；但那等候耶和華的，必從新得力。他們必如鷹展翅上騰，他們奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。”急躁的人却坐下來，爲他們的將來擔憂。他們說：“唉，我們出了苦難，又入了苦難。”不錯，你這小信的人哪！但那時你也必力上加力地往前進。你必然發現沒有一種苦難不是被足够的恩典所捆起來的。神必把力量賜給成人，同時也把重負加在他長成了的雙肩上。

December 14

"They go from strength to strength."—Psalm 84:7

They go from strength to strength. There are various renderings of these words, but all of them contain the idea of progress.

Our own good translation of the authorized version is enough for us this morning. "They go from strength to strength." That is, they grow stronger and stronger. Usually, if we are walking, we go from strength to weakness; we start fresh and in good order for our journey, but by-and-by the road is rough, and the sun is hot, we sit down by the wayside, and then again painfully pursue our weary way. But the Christian pilgrim having obtained fresh supplies of grace, is as vigorous after years of toilsome travel and struggle as when he first set out. He may not be quite so elate and buoyant, nor perhaps quite so hot and hasty in his zeal as he once was, but he is much stronger in all that constitutes real power, and travels, if more slowly, far more surely. Some gray-haired veterans have been as firm in their grasp of truth, and as zealous in diffusing it, as they were in their younger days; but, alas, it must be confessed it is often otherwise, for the love of many waxes cold and iniquity abounds, but this is their own sin and not the fault of the promise which still holds good: "The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Fretful spirits sit down and trouble themselves about the future. "Alas!" say they, "we go from affliction to affliction." Very true, O thou of little faith, but then thou goest from strength to strength also. Thou shalt never find a bundle of affliction which has not bound up in the midst of it sufficient grace. God will give the strength of ripe manhood with the burden allotted to full-grown shoulders.