"Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece." (Judges 6:39.)
THERE are degrees to faith. At one stage of Christian experience we cannot believe unless we have some sign or some great manifestation of feeling. We feel our fleece, like Gideon, and if it is wet we are willing to trust God. This may be true faith, but it is imperfect. It always looks for feeling or some token besides the Word of God.
It marks quite an advance in faith when we trust God without feelings. It is blessed to believe without having any emotion.
There is a third stage of faith which even transcends that of Gideon and his fleece. The first phase of faith believes when there are favorable emotions, the second believes when there is the absence of feeling, but this third form of faith believes God and His Word when circumstances, emotions, appearances, people, and human reason all urge to the contrary. Paul exercised this faith in (Acts. 27:20, 25), "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." Not-withstanding all this Paul said, "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."
May God give us faith to fully trust His Word though everything else witness the other way. -- C. H. P.
When is the time to trust?
Is it when all is calm,
When waves the victor's palm,
And life is one glad psalm
Of joy and praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when the waves beat high,
When storm clouds fill to sky,
And prayer is one long cry,
O help and save!
When is the time to trust?
Is it when friends are true?
Is it when comforts woo,
And is all we say and do
We meet but praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when we stand alone,
And summer birds have flown,
And every prop is gone,
All else but God.
What is the time to trust?
Is it some future day,
When you have tricd your way,
And learned to trust and pray
By bitter woe?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is in this moment's need.
Poor, broken, bruised reed!
Poor, troubled soul, make speea
To trust thy God.
What is the time to trust?
Is it when hopes beat high,
When sunshine gilds the sky,
And joy and ecstasy
Fill all the heart?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when our joy is fled,
When sorrow bows the head,
And all is cold and dead,
All else but God.
─Selected.
七月二十一日
「让我将羊毛再试一次；但愿羊毛是干的，别的地方都有露水。」（士六:39）
基督徒的信心有三个时期。在第一个时期里，我们对于一件事，如果没有看见兆头或者显著的感觉，就不容易相信。像基甸一样，一定要先去摸摸羊毛，如果羊毛是干的，才愿意相信。这一种信心，也许是真实的信心，不过这种信心不完全。这种信心常常要在神的话语以外，另外找些感觉和证据。
在第二个时期里，我们对于一件事，如果没有感觉，也能够相信。这就是告诉我们说，我们的信心有了显著的进步了。
在第三个时期里的信心和基甸摸羊毛的信心适正相反。第一期的信心，是凭依顺利的感觉来相信的；第二期的信心，没有感觉，也能相信了； 第三期的信心，在环境、感觉、外表、世人、理智，都催促你向反面作去的时候，你依旧持守神的话语。保罗在使徒行传二十七章二十、二十五节所运用的，就是这样的信心━「太阳和星辰多日不显露，又有狂风大浪催逼，我们得救的指望就都绝了。」虽然这样，保罗却说：「所以众位可以放心， 我信神祂怎样对我说，事情也要怎样成就。」
愿神赐我们这样的信心，叫我们不看环境，完全信赖神的话语。－－C. H. P.