"Feed on his faithfulness." (Psalm 37:3, R.V.)
I once met a poor colored woman, who earned a precarious living by hard daily labor; but who was a joyous triumphant Christian. "Ah, Nancy," said a gloomy Christian lady to her one day, "it is well enough to be happy now; but I should think the thoughts of your future would sober you.
"Only suppose, for instance, you should have a spell of sickness, and be unable to work; or suppose your present employers should move away, and no one else should give you anything to do; or suppose--"
"Stop!" cried Nancy, "I never supposes. De Lord is my Shepherd, and I knows I shall not want. And, Honey," she added, to her gloomy friend, "it's all dem supposes as is makin' you so mis'able. You'd better give dem all up, and just trust de Lord."
There is one text that will take all the "supposes" out of a believer's life, if it be received and acted on in childlike faith; it is Hebrews 13:5, 6: "Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." --H. W. S.
"There's a stream of trouble across my path;
It is black and deep and wide.
Bitter the hour the future hath
When I cross its swelling tide.
But I smile and sing and say:
'I will hope and trust alway;
I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,
But I'll borrow none today.'
"Tomorrow's bridge is a dangerous thing;
I dare not cross it now.
I can see its timbers sway and swing,
And its arches reel and bow.
O heart, you must hope alway;
You must sing and trust and say:
'I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,
But I'll borrow none today."'
The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself as to how it is to cross rivers. --Selected.
六月九日
“以他的信实为粮”(诗三十七:3)。
我认识一位黑种妇人,她是做佣工的,生活很艰难;然而她是一个顶喜乐的基督徒。有一天,一个善于忧郁的姊妹问她说:“南茜,现在你固然快乐;可是我替你担心将来的前途;说来或许会使你伤心。
“假若你生病了,不能工作了;假若你的东家辞退你了,没有别人雇用你了,假若…”“够了,太太”!她打岔说:“我从来不“假若”的。耶和华是我的牧者,我必不至缺乏。你有了这许多“假若”,自然不会喜乐了。丢弃它们罢,信靠你的神”。
只消两节圣经,就可以使我们丢弃一切难丢弃的“假若”,如果我们用孩子般简单的信去接受它们。请读希伯来书十三章五节六节:“要以自己所有的为足。因为主曾说,我总不撇下你,也不丢弃你。所有我们可以放胆说,主是帮助我的,我必不惧怕;人能把我怎样呢”?信徒只要以单纯的信心接受这段经文,让神的话在你里面发生效力,就能除去所有的“假若”了。
灾难横在我的路上,如一道洪流,
既深且广,黑暗凄凉,
在它浪潮高涨之时,我必须渡过,
未来的困苦将不堪思索。
但我一面欢唱一面说道:
“我将以希望之心永远信靠;
我愿承受明日的痛苦,
今天无须预先悲悼”。
明天的桥,险象环生,
走过去时会胆战心惊,
它的桥板幌幌然摇动,
它的拱梁如摆如倾。
哦,我的心哪,要永远信靠,
必须欢唱,希望,并且说道:
“我愿承受明日的苦难,
今天我无须预先悲伤”。
高飞天空的鹫鹰,从不挂虑它将怎样渡过江河。——选