"He hath made me a polished shaft." (Isa. 49:2)
There is a very famous "Pebble Beach" at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting roar, and rattles and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on━never any rest. And the result?
Tourists from all the world flock thither to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament the parlor mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles that have never been chosen by the traveler.
Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.
Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.
"O blows that smite! O hurts that pierce
This shrinking heart of mine!
What are ye but the Master's tools
Forming a work Divine?"
"Nearly all God's jewels are crystallized tears."
七月七日
“祂使我成为磨亮的箭“ （赛四十九：2直译）
在美国加里福尼亚省派司开特罗地方，有一个著名的“卵石滩”。滩上的石子时时受着海滨大浪的冲击，有时被残酷的大浪卷去抛掷，有时被抛在尖锐的峭壁上受到擦磨。它们日夜受着这样的磨练，得到怎样的结果呢？
全世界的游客蜂拥着到那里去采集圆滑美丽的石子，采集了回去，将它们谨谨慎慎地安置在陈列室中，装饰在客室的壁板上。但是你如果到冲破海浪的峭壁尖顶去看，或者到风雨侵蚀不到的凹处去找，你能彀看见大量从来没有人去搜寻的卵石。
为甚么这些卵石总没有人来采集呢？唯一的原因就是因为它们没有经过海浪的冲击擦磨，它们平静的生活使它们变得又粗糙，又丑陋。啊，原来光泽是由苦难磨出来的！
神知道我们配做那种器皿，祂就将我们磨成那种器皿。祂知道我们要去担任的是那种工作，祂就照我们所需要的磨练我们，给我们相当的准备，我们只要完全信靠祂就是了。━选
猛烈的打击，痛苦的损伤，
刺碎我畏缩的心房。
岂不就是神所用的工具，
要把我们琢磨得雪亮精光。
神的每一颗宝石，几乎全是晶莹的泪珠。