三月八日

我們進入神的國，必須經歷許多艱難。（徒14:22）

神的民有患難。當神選召他民的時候，他並沒有預定他們，使他們不經受試煉。他們是在苦難的爐中被揀選的，神並非揀選他們使他們享受屬世的平安，地上的福樂。神並沒有應許他們可以免去病痛和死亡，但當他們的神規定他們當得的權益時，他也把責罰包括在他們當得的名分中。患難是我們該得的部分，神早已為我們定好了，末後又由基督傳給了我們。他的手怎樣安定了星宿，規定了它們的軌道，我們所當得的患難也是這樣：他為它們定了時間和地點，以及臨到我們時的強度和效果。好人不應期望逃避困難；若果如此，也必失望，因為在他們以先的人都已經飽嘗過。我們看看約伯的忍耐；記住亞伯拉罕和他的患難，但因他的信心便勝過了那些，所以成為“信心的始祖”。翻開英雄、先知、使徒和殉道者的傳記，就必發現沒有一個蒙神憐憫的人，不經過苦難的火的。神的每一種恩典上都應當印著苦難之十字架的記號，好分辨是屬神的。患難是神子民的道路，但他們也必得到安慰，因為知道耶穌也曾在他們之前經過那些；他們必得到安慰，因為知道耶穌也曾在他們之前經過那些；他們必得他的同在和同情使自己得以鼓舞，他的恩典扶持他們，並且他的榜樣也教他們如何忍受；當他們經過“許多艱難”進入“神國”時，他們所得到的必然超過他們的忍受的。

“凡我在世所遇變更，無論為苦為樂；我必常用我心我聲，稱揚天父恩德。”

March 8

"We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." --Acts 14:22

God's people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when He chose His people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, He included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ's last legacy. So surely as the stars are fashioned by his hands, and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: He has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the "Father of the faithful." Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of mercy, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction. It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of mercy, as the royal mark whereby the King's vessels of honour are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus the path of God's children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have His presence and sympathy to cheer them, His grace to support them, and His example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach "the kingdom," it will more than make amends for the "much tribulation" through which they passed to enter it.