五月十三日

一宿雖然有哭泣，早晨便必歡呼。（詩30：5）

基督徒啊！若你正在患難的暗夜裡，想想即將到來的早晨：想到你的主就要來到心中便當快樂。要忍耐，因為“看哪！他必駕著天上的雲降臨”。要忍耐，農夫耐心等候著收他的莊稼。要忍耐，因為你知道誰曾說：“看哪，我必快來。賞罰在我，要照各人所行的報應他。”若現在你經受從未有過的憂傷，要記得：“太陽不過再出沒數次，你就必度到迦南美地。”現在你的頭上容或戴著困難的荊冕，但不久你就必戴上星冠。現在你的手或許滿了憂慮，但不久它必彈奏天上的金琴。現在你的衣服或許沾染了灰塵，不久就必變白。再等一會，往後看看我們的困難和苦楚是多麼算不得什麼呀！現在往前看，覺得不知它們有多麼大，但當我們到了天堂，“雙足的勞苦，必變成無限的快樂。”那時我們就覺得我們的痛苦是至暫至輕的了。讓我們大膽地向前，若是夜已到了最黑的時候，早晨就要來臨了，並不用等到人說他們被關閉在地獄的黑暗裡。你知道過著將來的生活——過著盼望的生活——先嘗天堂之樂是一件什麼事嗎?快樂的信徒啊！要確實知道，這盼望是有安慰的。現在雖然黑暗，但不久就有光明；現在雖有一切苦難，但不久就有一切福樂。“黑夜已深，白晝將近。”等到“早晨便必歡呼”的時候，“一宿雖然有哭泣”還算得什麼呢?

“遙山露出晨光，照明一切深谷；塵世黑影速速全消，天光充我眼目。”

May 13

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." -- Psalm 30:5

Christian! If thou art in a night of trial, think of the morrow; cheer up thy heart with the thought of the coming of thy Lord. Be patient, for

"Lo! He comes with clouds descending."

Be patient! The Husbandman waits until He reaps His harvest. Be patient; for you know who has said, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be." If you are never so wretched now, remember

"A few more rolling suns, at most,

Will land thee on fair Canaan's coast."

Thy head may be crowned with thorny troubles now, but it shall wear a starry crown ere long; thy hand may be filled with cares--it shall sweep the strings of the harp of heaven soon. Thy garments may be soiled with dust now; they shall be white by-and-by. Wait a little longer. Ah! how despicable our troubles and trials will seem when we look back upon them! Looking at them here in the prospect, they seem immense; but when we get to heaven we shall then

"With transporting joys recount,

The labours of our feet."

Our trials will then seem light and momentary afflictions. Let us go on boldly; if the night be never so dark, the morning cometh, which is more than they can say who are shut up in the darkness of hell. Do you know what it is thus to live on the future--to live on expectation--to antedate heaven? Happy believer, to have so sure, so comforting a hope. It may be all dark now, but it will soon be light; it may be all trial now, but it will soon be all happiness. What matters it though "weeping may endure for a night," when "joy cometh in the morning?"