"I will be still, and I will behold in my dwelling place." (Isa. 18:4, R. V.)
ASSYRIA was marching against Ethiopia, the people of which are described as tall and smooth. And as the armies advance, God makes no effort to arrest them; it seems as though they will be allowed to work their will. He is still watching them from His dwelling place, the sun still shines on them; but before the harvest, the whole of the proud army of Assyria is smitten as easily as when sprigs are cut off by the pruning hook of the husbandman.
Is not this a marvelous conception of God-being still and watching? His stillness is not acquiescence. His silence is not consent. He is only biding His time, and will arise, in the most opportune moment, and when the designs of the wicked seem on the point of success, to overwhelm them with disaster. As we look out on the evil of the world; as we think of the apparent success of wrong-doing; as we wince beneath the oppression of those that hate us, let us remember these marvelous words about God being still and beholding.
There is another side to this. Jesus beheld His disciples toiling at the oars through the stormy night; and watched though unseen, the successive steps of the anguish of Bethany, when Lazarus slowly passed through the stages of mortal sickness, until he succumbed and was borne to the rocky tomb. But He was only waiting the moment when He could interpose most effectually. Is He still to thee? He is not unobservant; He is beholding all things; He has His finger on thy pulse, keenly sensitive to all its fluctuations. He will come to save thee when the precise moment arrived. --- Devotional Commentary.
Whatever His questions or His reticences, we may be absolutely sure of an unperplexed and undismayed Saviour.
"O troubled soul, beneath the rod,
Thy Father speaks, be still, be still;
Learn to be silent unto God,
And let Him mould thee to His will.
"O praying soul, be still, be still,
He cannot break His plighted Word;
Sink down into His blessed will,
And wait in patience on the Lord.
"O waiting soul, be still, be strong,
And though He tarry, trust and wait;
Doubt not, He will not wait too long,
Fear not, He will not come too late."
七月十七日
「我要安静，在我的居所观看。」（以赛亚书十八: 4）
你们记得亚述王西拿基立上来攻击犹大的那段故事吗？当亚述军队上来的时候，神并没有阻止他们；似乎神许可他们这样作一般。神仍旧安安静静地在祂的居所观看，太阳也仍旧照着他们；但是到了夜间，耶和华的使者击杀了全批傲慢的亚述军队，正如农夫的镰刀割剪树枝一般容易。
我们看，神的观念多么奇异━祂喜欢安静，在祂的居所观看！祂的安静并不是默许，祂的缄默并不是同意；祂不过在等待祂自己的时候罢了 ━ 在最合宜的时候，祂要起来，在恶者的图谋正要成功的时候，祂要起来用灾祸毁灭他们。当我们看到世上的邪恶，想到恶人的成功， 挣扎在仇人的欺压下的时候，就应当想到神是在安静观看。
我们再看主耶稣在世时的态度。一天晚上，耶稣独自在岸上，看见门徒在海中，因风不顺，摇橹甚苦，祂怎么样呢？静静地望着； 拉撒路生病的时候，祂明知道祂所爱的人在伯大尼何等痛苦，但是祂却不去....直等到拉撒路的病势一天沉重一天，死了，安放在坟墓里了， 祂才前去，为的是要等待最合宜的时间。
亲爱的读者，祂对你是不是也是这样「安静」呢？祂并不是不关心；一切祂都看见；祂的手指正按在你的脉搏上，很留意地在数算起伏的次数。 在祂看为最恰当的时候，祂就要起来拯救你。── 译自日诚报