"He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him."
(Psalm. 66:6)
It is a striking assertion, "through the floods" (the place where we might have expected nothing but trembling and terror, anguish and dismay) "there," says the Psalmist, "did we rejoice in him!"
How many there are who can endorse this as their experience: that "there," in their very seasons of distress and sadness, they have been enabled, as they never did before, to triumph and rejoice.
How near their God in covenant is brought! How brightly shine His promises! In the day of our prosperity we cannot see the brilliancy of these. Like the sun at noon, hiding out the stars from sight, they are indiscernible; but when night overtakes, the deep, dark night of sorrow, out come these clustering stars━blessed constellations of Bible hope and promise of consolation.
Like Jacob at Jabbok, it is when our earthly sun goes down that the Divine Angel comes forth, and we wrestle with Him and prevail.
It was at night, "in the evening," Aaron lit the sanctuary lamps. It is in the night of trouble the brightest lamps of the believer are often kindled.
It was in his loneliness and exile John had the glorious vision of his Redeemer. There is many a Patmos still in the world, whose brightest remembrances are those of God's presence and upholding grace and love in solitude and sadness.
How many pilgrims, still passing through these Red Seas and Jordans of earthly affliction, will be enabled in the retrospect of eternity to say━full of the memories of God's great goodness━"We went through the flood on foot, there━there, in these dark experiences, with the surging waves on every side, deep calling to deep, Jordan, as when Israel crossed it, in 'the time of the overflowing' (flood), yet, 'there did we rejoice in Him!'" ━Dr. Macduff
"And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the door of trouble for a door of hope: and she shall sing THERE." (Hosea 2:15)
二月六日
“祂将海变成干地；众民步行过河；我们在那里因祂欢喜“ （诗六十六：6）
按常情来说，百姓过红海时，波涛在两边翻腾，追兵在后面呐喊，他们一定惊恐，战栗，痛苦仓皇；可是作诗篇的人竟说，“我们在那里”━大水中━“因祂欢喜”。
有多少信徒能有这样的经历：“在那里”━在一个失望的绝境中，一个外患内忧的时侯，能“因祂欢喜“？
“在那里”立约的神来了！“在那里”祂的应许实现了！“在那里”仇敌消灭了！“在那里”信不过来的经历尝到了！如果不“在那里”，在一个顺利的境遇中，卽使花尽力气去找，也找不到这些荣耀的事实。好象白日有了阳光，把星光遮掩了；黑夜一到，满天的明星出现了━经上的应许，安慰，盼望，也都是在忧愁之夜出现的。
象雅各布在“雅博”一样，日落之后，才有天使前来，我们经过虔诚祈祷之后，才能获得结果。
亚伦在夜晚点燃神灯，在困苦艰难之夜晚，信徒的明灯，放出最灿烂的光亮。
拔摩海岛上的约翰，在孤单凄凉中得见主荣耀的异象。今天在地上仍有许多荒凉的拔摩海岛，那里有主的爱和恩典，有主的同在，可以消灭孤单和忧愁。读者，你愿不愿意去呢？
有多少旅客，在经过红海和约但河的苦难时，能一心想念神，说：“我们步行过河，在那里━在这些黑暗的经历里，在波涛四边翻腾的光景里━因祂欢喜。“━马克特夫
“…从那里…我必赐他葡萄园，又赐他亚割谷作为指望的门，他必在那里歌唱”（何二：15）。