August 11

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17, 18).

Observe,I entreat you, how calamitous a circumstance is here supposed, and how heroic a faith is expressed.It is really as if he said, "Though I should be reduced to so great extremity as not to know where to find my necessary food, though I should look around about me on an empty house and a desolate field, and see the marks of the Divine scourge where I had once seen the fruits of God's bounty, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord." "

Methinks these words are worthy of being written as with a diamond on a rock forever. Oh, that by Divine grace they might be deeply engraven on each of our hearts! Concise as the form of speaking in the text is, it evidently implies or expresses the following particulars: That in the day of his distress he would fly to God; that he would maintain a holy composure of spirit under this dark dispensation, nay, that in the midst of all he would indulge in a sacred joy in God, and a cheerful expectation from Him. Heroic confidence! Illustrious faith! Unconquerable love!--Doddridge..

Last night I heard a robin singing in the rain,

And the raindrop'sfiatter made ct sweet refrain,

Making all the sweeter the music of the strain.

So, I thought, when trouble comes, as trouble will,

Why should I stop singing? Just beyond the hill

It may be that sunshine floods the green world still.

He who faces the trouble with ct heart of cheer

Makes the burden lighter. If there falls ct tear,

Sweeter is the cadence in the song we hear.

I have learned your lesson, bird with dappled wing,

Listening to your music with its lilt of spring-

When the storm-cloud darkens, then's the TIME to sing.

-Eben E. Rexfor

八月十一日

「虽然无花果树不发旺,葡萄树不结果,橄榄树也不効力,田地不出粮食,圈中绝了,羊棚内也没有牛。然而我要因耶和华欢欣,因救我的神喜乐。」(哈三17-18)

你看这里所说的,是一个多么不幸的境遇。这里所给我们看见的,是一个多么伟大的信心。他的意思说:「虽然我受到这样大的灾祸━甚至连养生的食物,也不知道到甚么地方去找;四围所看见的,不过是一所空旷的房屋,一块荒芜的田地;在以前看见神赐恩的地方,现在看见神鞭打的伤疤━然而我要因耶和华欢欣。」

我想这两节圣经,眞值得用金钢钻记录在盘石上,永远保存起来。哦,巴不得靠神的恩典,这几节圣经能深深地铭刻在我们每一个人的心版上!句法虽然简短,其中却显著地含蓄着不少属灵的意义。他告诉我们:在他遭难的日子,他怎样到神里去躲避;在黑暗的命运下,他怎样赖主保持灵的镇静;在一切的试炼中,他怎样在神里面享受属灵的喜乐,从祂得到欢乐的期望。这就是伟大的信心!这就是光荣的信心!──陶杜力慈