二月二十日

那安慰喪氣之人的神……（林後7:6）

誰能像神那樣能安慰人呢？我們去看一位可憐，憂鬱、愁苦的神的孩子，把甜美的應許告訴他，俯在他的耳上輕聲說出安慰的話；他真像一條耳聾的大蛇，聽而不聞，也不理會那安慰他的人。他飽嘗苦膽和茵蔯的滋味，無論你如何安慰他，他只是向你發出一兩聲歎息；你不能使他唱出讚美詩、哈利路亞或是快樂的樂章。但讓神來到他的孩子那裡，讓他照著他的面容，那憂苦人的眼睛就必發出希望的光芒。你能聽見他的歌聲嗎？“有你就是樂園，無你便是地獄。”你不能使他高興，但神能，他是“賜各樣安慰的神”。基列並無乳香，乳香乃在神那裡（耶8:22）。世上並無醫生，但造物主是醫治我們的耶和華路非（Jehovahrophi耶和華是醫治我的）。神一句甜蜜的話就可成為基督徒整個詩歌，這是一件很稀奇的事。神的一句話就像一塊黃金一樣，基督徒乃是錘金人，要下功夫才能把神的應許錘出來。所以，可憐的基督徒呀！你不要失望地呆坐在那裡，就到那安慰者面前，求他給你安慰。你是一口枯乾的井。你曾看到過一口機器井嗎？當幫浦幹了，打不上水來的時候，你必須先倒下一點水去，然後才能汲上水來。基督徒呀！你也是這樣，當你枯乾的時候，就到神那裡，讓他的喜樂澆在你的心中，那末你的喜樂就必滿溢。不要找世上的知友，他們至終必像安慰約伯的朋友一樣。你要先來到“那安慰喪氣之人的神”那裡，你就會說：“我心裡多憂多疑，你安慰我，就使我歡樂。”

February 20

"God, that comforteth those that are cast down." --2 Corinthians 7:6

And who comforteth like Him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to His child, let Him lift up his countenance, and the mourner's eyes glisten with hope. Do you not hear him sing--

"'Tis paradise, if thou art here;

If thou depart, 'tis hell?"

You could not have cheered him: but the Lord has done it; "He is the God of all comfort." There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the goldbeater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask Him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask Him to shed abroad His joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job's comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy "God, that comforteth those that are cast down," and you will soon say, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul."