三月三日

你在苦難的爐中，我揀選你。（賽48:10）

受苦煉的信徒呀，你用神說的這句話來安慰你自己吧！你想想“你在苦難的爐中，我揀選你”的意思。這句話不像一陣沛雨傾倒在熊熊的火焰上嗎？它不像一套烈火所不能焚毀的石棉軍裝嗎？不管苦難怎樣，神已揀選了我。貧窮雖然闖進了我的門內，但神卻早已在家中，早已揀選了我。我在流淚穀中無論經過什麼艱險，我知道他已“揀選”了我。信徒呀！若你需要更大的安慰的話，那麼記住你有人子和你一同在烈火的爐中。在你隱秘的內室中，有一位坐在你的旁邊，雖然你眼不能見，但你卻愛他；當你不知道的時候，他常在你的苦難中為你鋪床，使你的枕頭柔軟舒適。你雖貧窮，但那榮耀的主卻常到你的陋室之中，他願意到簡陋的地方來會見你。他是你的朋友，與你形影不離。你不能看到他，但你能感到他的腕力。你聽見了他的聲音嗎？甚至在死蔭幽谷中，他說：“你不要怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的神。”尊貴的該撒曾說：“不要怕，你可以取得該撒和他一切的財富。”基督徒呀！不要怕，耶穌與你同在。你在一切火熱的試煉中，他的同在是你的安慰和保障。他所揀選屬他的人，他絕不離棄。“你不要怕，因為我與你同在”，豈不是他向在“苦難的爐中”所揀選的人所說的可靠的話嗎？那麼，你現在不願緊緊抓住基督嗎？你要說：

“有耶穌領導我，雖經洪水烈火，我必欣然跟從，直到主腳停歇。”

March 3

"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." --Isaiah 48:10

Comfort thyself, tried believer, with this thought: God saith, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Does not the word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yea, is it not an asbestos armour, against which the heat hath no power? Let affliction come--God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayst stride in at my door, but God is in the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness, thou mayst intrude, but I have a balsam ready--God has chosen me. Whatever befalls me in this vale of tears, I know that He has "chosen" me. If, believer, thou requirest still greater comfort, remember that you have the Son of Man with you in the furnace. In that silent chamber of yours, there sitteth by your side One whom thou hast not seen, but whom thou lovest; and ofttimes when thou knowest it not, He makes all thy bed in thy affliction, and smooths thy pillow for thee. Thou art in poverty; but in that lovely house of thine the Lord of life and glory is a frequent visitor. He loves to come into these desolate places, that He may visit thee. Thy friend sticks closely to thee. Thou canst not see Him, but thou mayst feel the pressure of His hands. Dost thou not hear His voice? Even in the valley of the shadow of death He says, "Fear not, I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." Remember that noble speech of Caesar: "Fear not, thou carriest Caesar and all his fortune." Fear not, Christian; Jesus is with thee. In all thy fiery trials, His presence is both thy comfort and safety. He will never leave one whom He has chosen for His own. "Fear not, for I am with thee," is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in the "furnace of affliction." Wilt thou not, then, take fast hold of Christ, and say--

"Through floods and flames, if Jesus lead,

I'll follow where He goes."