二月十二日

我們既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。（林後1:5）

這一節聖經是多麼寶貴呀！天地的主宰手中拿著一架天平，一邊盤中放著他民的試煉，一邊盤中放著他為他們所預備的安慰。當試煉的一邊幾乎除空時，你仍可看到安慰的一邊依然是那些分量；而當試煉的盤中堆滿時，你也必發現安慰的重量仍不稍減；烏雲越濃，太陽所露出的光就越明亮；當夜深浪猛時，天上的船主仍然與他的水手們同舟共濟。這是一件真該讚美神的事，我們所受的打擊越大，聖靈各樣的安慰把我們舉得也越高。其中有一個理由：因為試煉為安慰倒空了更多的地方。偉大的心胸只能由重大的困難造成。苦難的鍬能把貯藏安慰的窖掘得更深、更廣，好多容納安慰。神來到我們心中——他看到我們心中已經裝滿了東西——他就開始剷除那些，將它除空，好多容受他的恩典。一個人越謙卑，所得的安慰也越多，因為他更適合接受它。另一個理由解釋我們為什麼當苦難之時仍能快樂，乃是因為那時我們與神的交往最為密切。倉廩充實的時候，人們便能離神獨自生存；袋中滿了黃金時，我們就不常禱告了。但神再一次地把我們的蓖麻拿去，我們就又要神了；再一次把家中的偶像除去，我們就不能不尊崇耶和華。“耶和華啊！我從深處向你求告。”再也沒有一種呼聲能比山谷底下發的更好聽了；再也沒有一種禱告能比經過試煉和災害，發自心靈深處的禱告更熱切了。它們這樣把我們帶到神的面前，我們就快樂起來，因為親近神就是快樂。來吧！受苦受難的信徒，不要怕你所受的重大的苦難，因為它們是更大的恩憐的使者。

February 12

"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." --2 Corinthians 1:5

There is a blessed proportion. The Ruler of Providence bears a pair of scales--in this side He puts His people's trials, and in that He puts their consolations. When the scale of trial is nearly empty, you will always find the scale of consolation in nearly the same condition; and when the scale of trials is full, you will find the scale of consolation just as heavy. When the black clouds gather most, the light is the more brightly revealed to us. When the night lowers and the tempest is coming on, the Heavenly Captain is always closest to His crew. It is a blessed thing, that when we are most cast down, then it is that we are most lifted up by the consolations of the Spirit. One reason is, because trials make more room for consolation. Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation. God comes into our heart--He finds it full--He begins to break our comforts and to make it empty; then there is more room for grace. The humbler a man lies, the more comfort he will always have, because he will be more fitted to receive it. Another reason why we are often most happy in our troubles, is this--then we have the closest dealings with God. When the barn is full, man can live without God: when the purse is bursting with gold, we try to do without so much prayer. But once take our gourds away, and we want our God; once cleanse the idols out of the house, then we are compelled to honour Jehovah. "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord." There is no cry so good as that which comes from the bottom of the mountains; no prayer half so hearty as that which comes up from the depths of the soul, through deep trials and afflictions. Hence they bring us to God, and we are happier; for nearness to God is happiness. Come, troubled believer, fret not over your heavy troubles, for they are the heralds of weighty mercies.