January 3

Gentle Leading

"I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure" (Gen. 33:14).

What a beautiful picture of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the children! He would not allow them to be overdriven even for one day. He would not lead on according to what a strong man like Esau could do and expected them to do, but only according to what they were able to endure. He knew exactly how far they could go in a day; and he made that his only consideration in arranging the marches. He had gone the same wilderness journey years before, and knew all about its roughness and heat and length, by personal experience. And so he said, "I will lead on softly." "For ye have not passed this way heretofore" (Josh.3:4.).

We have not passed this way heretofore, but the Lord Jesus has. It is all untrodden and unknown ground to us, but He knows it all by personal experience. The steep bits that take away our breath, the stony bits that make our feet ache so, the hot shadeless stretches that make us feel so exhausted, the rushing rivers that we have to pass through--Jesus has gone through it all before us. "He was wearied with his journey." Not some, but all the many waters went over Him, and yet did not quench His love. He was made a perfect Leader by the things which He suffered. "He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Think of that when you are tempted to question the gentleness of His leading. He is remembering all the time; and not one step will He make you take beyond what your foot is able to endure. Never mind if you think it will not be able for the step that seems to come next; either He will so strengthen it that it shall be able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you shall not have to take it at all. --Frances Ridley Havergal

In "pastures green"? Not always; sometimes He

Who knowest best, in kindness leadeth me

In weary ways, where heavy shadows be.

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair

I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where

The shadows lie, what matter? He is there.

--Barry

《荒漠甘泉》1月3日


　　“我要量著在我面前群畜和孩子的力量慢慢的前行。”（創三十三章十四節）

　　這真是一幅惟妙惟肖的圖畫，描寫著雅各對群畜和孩子的慈心！他不願意他們趕走一天的路程。他不願意照粗人以掃的心去催促他們。他乃是量著他們的力量慢慢地領他們前行。他知道他的兒女們年幼嬌嫩，牛羊正在乳養的時候。他知道他們一天能行多少路；他考慮了然後他安排他們的行程。而且這條曠野的路程，以前他也曾走過；何處崎嶇、何處兇險、何處炎熱、何處寒冷，他都經歷過。所以他對他們說：“我要慢慢地領你們前行。”“因為這條路你們向來沒有走過。”（書三章四節）

　　前面的路程我們也向來沒有走過，可是主耶穌曾走過。我們的前途真是茫然無所知，可是主都經過。這一程使我們心慌意亂，那一程使我們筋疲力盡，另一程使我們乾渴得舌貼牙床，又一程使我們喘不過氣來－其實以前主都嘗過、走過。

　　經上說：“耶穌因走路困乏。”（約四章六節）眾水沖淹他，卻不能息滅他的愛情。他所經歷的苦難使他成為最好的牧者。“他知道我們的本體，思念我們不過是塵土。”（詩一百零三篇十四節）

　　他每時每刻體恤我們；不讓我們走一步過於我們力量的路。前面一程雖然有些難行，但是盡可放心；因為他不是加力量使我們得以安然過去，定是吩咐我們突然止步。——海弗格爾（France Ridley Havergal）

January 2

Climb Upward

"And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the. winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst" (Ezek. 41:7).

"Still upward be thine onward course:

For this I pray today;

Still upward as the years go by,

And seasons pass away.

"Still upward in this coming year,

Thy path is all untried;

Still upward may'st thou journey on,

Close by thy Savior's side.

"Still upward e'en though sorrow come,

And trials crush thine heart;

Still upward may they draw thy soul,

With Christ to walk apart.

"Still upward till the day shall break,

And shadows all have flown;

Still upward till in Heaven you wake,

And stand before the throne."

We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem!

Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ. Make Him the source, the center, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!

--Spurgeon

"I want to scale the utmost height,

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I'll pray, till heaven I've found,

Lord, lead me on to higher ground!"

Not many of us are living at our best. We linger in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountains. The steepness and ruggedness dismay us, and so we stay in the misty valleys and do not learn the mystery of the hills. We do not know what we lose in our self-indulgence, what glory awaits us if only we had courage for the mountain climb, what blessing we should find if only we would move to the uplands of God. --J. R. M

"Too low they build who build beneath the stars."

《荒漠甘泉》1月2日

　　“這圍殿的旁屋，越高越寬。因旁屋圍殿懸疊而上；所以越上越寬，由下一層，到中一層，到上一層。”（結四十一章七節）

　　能在平地上驅馳，不該就算知足，我們還該力求登峰造極。在山頂上，露珠何等光明、美麗，空氣多麼清潔、新鮮，居民何其幽逸、清高，他們一推窗就可望見耶路撒冷！

　　多少信徒甘心樂意地過著礦工一般的生活－終日不見天日。他們的臉上原該膏著天上的喜樂油，可是卻抹著淚珠。他們原該在宮殿頂上散步，欣賞利巴嫩的美景，可是卻滿足於牢獄中的枯萎。醒來罷，信徒們，離開你的平地，努力向上去罷！丟去你的倦、懶、冷，以及一切攔阻你向上追求基督的。讓基督作你的源頭、你的中心，要讓他在萬有上居首位。不要滿意你目前所有的。渴望一個更高、更貴、更豐、更富的生命。向著春天！追求更近神！－司布真（Spurgeon）

　　我們中間沒有多少人真是盡我們所能的生活著。我們留戀在平地上，因為我們怕攀山越嶺。山程的崎嶇、峻峭，寒了我們的心，因此我們終生耽擱在霧穀中，從不會瞭解山頂上的佳境。啊！寬容自己的損失何其大啊！只要我們肯決心登高尋求神，前面有極大的榮要和祝福等著我們。——密勒（J.R.M.）