因祂歡喜(Feb 6)

荒漠甘泉 Streams in the Desert

因祂歡喜

經文: 「祂將海變成乾地，眾民步行過河；我們在那裡因祂歡喜。」（詩六十六6）

    按常情說來，百姓過紅海時，波濤在兩邊翻騰，追兵在後面吶喊，他們一定驚恐、戰慄、痛苦、倉皇。可是作詩篇的人竟說：「我們在那裡」──大水中──「因祂歡喜」。

    有多少信徒能有這樣的經歷：「在那裡」──在一個失望的絕境中，一個外患內憂的時候，能「因祂歡喜」？ 「在那裡」立約的上帝來了！「在那裡」祂的應許實現了！「在那裡」仇敵消滅了！「在那裡」信不來的經歷嘗到了！如果不「在那裡」，在一個順利的境遇中，即使花盡力氣去找，也找不到這些榮耀的事實。好像白日有了陽光，把星光遮掩了。黑夜一到，滿天的明星出現了──經上的應許、安慰、盼望，也都是在憂愁之夜出現的。

    像雅各在「雅博渡口」一樣，日落之後，才有天使前來，我們經過虔誠的祈禱之後，才能獲得結果。亞倫在夜晚點燃聖殿的燈，在困苦艱難之夜晚，信徒的明燈，放出最燦爛的光亮。拔摩海島上的約翰，在孤單淒涼中，得見主榮耀的異象。今天在地上仍有許多荒涼的拔摩海島，那裡有主的同在，可以消滅孤單和憂愁，你願不願意去呢？ 有多少旅客，在經過紅海和約但河的苦難時，能一心想念上帝說：「我們步行過河，在那裡──在這些黑暗的經歷裡，在波濤四邊翻騰的光景裡──「因祂歡喜」──馬克特夫（Dr. Macduff）

    「…從那裡…我必賜他葡萄園，又賜他亞割谷，作為指望的門，他必在那裡歌唱。」（何二15）

Psa 66:8-12  萬民哪，你們當稱頌我們的神，使人得聽讚美他的聲音。  (9)  他使我們的性命存活，也不叫我們的腳搖動。  (10)  神啊，你曾試驗我們，熬煉我們，如熬煉銀子一樣。  (11)  你使我們進入網羅，把重擔放在我們的身上。  (12)  你使人坐車軋我們的頭；我們經過水火，你卻使我們到豐富之地。

Psa 66:18-20  我若心裡注重罪孽，主必不聽。  (19)  但神實在聽見了；他側耳聽了我禱告的聲音。  (20)  神是應當稱頌的！他並沒有推卻我的禱告，也沒有叫他的慈愛離開我。

放手交給上帝, 別再向 神講述你的風暴有多大, 當向風暴講述你的神有多大。

Do not tell God how big is your problem, just leave it to Him. Do tell your problem how great is your God.

Rejoice in the Flood

Scripture: "He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him" (Ps. 66:6).

    It is a striking assertion, "through the floods" (the place where we might have expected nothing but trembling and terror, anguish and dismay) "there," says the Psalmist, "did we rejoice in him!" How many there are who can endorse this as their experience: that "there," in their very seasons of distress and sadness, they have been enabled, as they never did before, to triumph and rejoice.

    How near their God in covenant is brought! How brightly shine His promises! In the day of our prosperity we cannot see the brilliancy of these. Like the sun at noon, hiding out the stars from sight, they are indiscernible; but when night overtakes, the deep, dark night of sorrow, out come these clustering stars--blessed constellations of Bible hope and promise of consolation. Like Jacob at Jabbok, it is when our earthly sun goes down that the Divine Angel comes forth, and we wrestle with Him and prevail. It was at night, "in the evening," Aaron lit the sanctuary lamps. It is in the night of trouble the brightest lamps of the believer are often kindled.

    It was in his loneliness and exile John had the glorious vision of his Redeemer. There is many a Patmos still in the world, whose brightest remembrances are those of God's presence and upholding grace and love in solitude and sadness. How many pilgrims, still passing through these Red Seas and Jordans of earthly affliction, will be enabled in the retrospect of eternity to say--full of the memories of God's great goodness--"We went through the flood on foot, there--there, in these dark experiences, with the surging waves on every side, deep calling to deep, Jordan, as when Israel crossed it, in 'the time of the overflowing' (flood), yet, 'there did we rejoice in Him!'" --Dr. Macduff

   "And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the door of trouble for a door of hope: and she shall sing THERE" (Hosea 2:15).