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經文：「人非有信，不能得神的喜悅，因爲到神面前來的人,必須信有神，且信祂賞賜那尋求祂的人。」 (來11:6) 信心在危急中更能發揮它的力量。聖經中充滿著危難的日子：它的故事是由這樣的日子構成，詩篇從其中獲得靈感，所有的預言與此有關，許多啓示也因此而出。 危難的日子是通往光明之路的墊腳石，是神的機會，也是人類智慧的訓練所。詩篇第一零七篇歌頌耶和華的慈愛，此外在每個救贖故事的危急存亡之時，常常正是神的大好機會。每當人的才智窮盡絕望無援的時候，神的能力便要開始發揮。 記得聖經中，神曾應許一對從未生育，形同朽木的老邁夫婦，應許他們不只會有後裔，甚至多如天上的星海邊的沙？還有以色列人徒步穿越紅海，與擡著約櫃涉水走過約旦河的故事；亞撒、約沙法和希西家被苦難逼迫至不知如何的時候，又是怎樣祈禱的？重溫關於尼希米、但以理、何西阿和哈巴谷的歷史，再以敬畏的心默立於客西馬尼的幽暗，到約瑟家的墳墓旁回想那些可怕的日子。去拜訪最初創立教會的見證人，去探問使徒在危難的日子中所經歷的一切。 危急勝過灰心；因為信心能使危急不致絕望。信心的任務就是支持你去解決危難，它的相反就是灰心，每逢危難若能維持信心就能得勝。 在危難之際，恐怕沒有誰能比那三個希伯來人所表現得更加偉大。他們的處境雖然危急萬分，但是他們仍能勇敢地回答：「我們所事奉的神，能將我們從烈火的窯中救出來。王阿！祂也必救我們脫離你的手。即或不然，王阿！你當知道我們決不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。」( 但以理第三章 )「即或不然」，這話說的何等令人欽佩。 我想在剩下的篇幅中，思想耶穌在客西馬尼園的禱告。請深切地體會其中「然而」二字：「倘若可行，求祢叫這杯離開我，然而不要照我的意思，只要照祢的意思！」深沈的黑暗已經籠罩著基督的靈魂，信靠神就等於要受流血的痛苦並淪入死亡的深淵；「然而」！ 請現在就拿起你們的詩歌本，高唱你們最喜愛的，那些在危急中仍然讚美的詩吧！-- Rev.S.Chadwick 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6). The faith for desperate days. The Bible is full of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them, its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through them. The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light. They seem to have been God's opportunity and man's school of wisdom. There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The "wit's end" of desperation was the beginning of God's power. Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream. Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph's garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days. Desperation is better than despair. Faith did not make our desperate days. Its work is to sustain and solve them. The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails. There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children. The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." I like that, "but if not !" I have only space to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its "Nevertheless." "If it is possible…nevertheless!" Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell--Nevertheless! Nevertheless!! Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. --Rev. S. Chadwick ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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