GRACE的珍貴角落

荒漠甘泉∕8 月 23日

原作∕Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

『亞伯拉罕因著信，蒙召的時候，就遵命出去，往將來要得為業的地方去。出去的時候，還不知往那裡去。』（來十一章八節）

這就是不憑眼見的信心。凡憑眼見的，就不是憑信心，乃是憑理由了。輪船橫渡大西洋，也是本著信心的原則的。我們在海面上看不見甚麼途徑，看不見甚麼海岸，我們卻能一天過一天地在航海圖上畫著標號。當輪船前行了若干哩的時候，我們立刻就會知道我們已經到了甚麼地方。

但是我們是怎樣來測量我們所畫的行程的呢？我們的船主每天拿著他的測量器，望著天，藉著太陽來規定他的行程。他是藉著天上的光－不是地上的光－來航行的。

 信心也是這樣航行的－望著天，藉著神的光；雖然並沒有看見航線、燈塔，或者途徑。很多時候，信心的腳步似乎牽引我們進入了黑暗和災禍，但是神開了路，夜半變成了黎明。讓我們今天也這樣前行罷－不是因著知道，乃是因著相信。－譯自地上的天上生活（Days of Heaven upon Earth）

我們中間有很多人常要先看清路程，才肯起行。這樣，怎能在基督裡有長進呢？信、望、愛，是不能像成熟的蘋果那樣從樹上摘下來的。創世記一章一節「起初」後面接著就說「神」。神是全能的，神不單引領那自己幫助自己的人，神也引領那自己不能幫助自己的人。你只要心倚賴祂就是了。

良好的機會，常因審慎過度失去的。－選

"He went out, not knowing whither he went."(Heb. 11:8.)

IT is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith, but reasoning. In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw no path upon the sea, nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a great chalk line upon the sea. And when we came within twenty miles of land, we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three thousand miles ahead.

How had we measured and marked our course? Day by day our captain had take his instruments and, looking up to the sky, had fixed his course by the sun. He was sailing by the heavenly, not the earthly lights.

So faith looks up and sails on, by God's great Sun, not seeing one shore line or earthly lighthouse or path upon the way. Often its steps seem to lead into utter uncertainty, and even darkness and disaster; but He opens the way, and often makes such midnight hours the very gates of day. Let us go forth this day, not knowing, but trusting. --- Days of Heaven upon Earth.

"Too many of us want to see our way through before starting new enterprises. If we could and did, from whence would come the development of our Christian graces? Faith, hope and love cannot be plucked from trees, like ripe apples. After the words In the beginning' comes the word God.' The first step turns the key into God's power-house, and it is not only true that God helps those who help themselves, but He also helps those who cannot help themselves. You can depend upon Him every time."

"Waiting on God brings us to our journey's end quicker than our feet."

The opportunity is often lost by deliberation.