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經文：「我信靠祢的話。」（詩119:42） 我們信靠神的話有多少，我們的信心就有多少。信心與感覺、影像、可能性、眼見都無關。如果我們把後者與信心並列，那就是不信神的話，因為真實的信心並不靠這些事物支持，而是單單信神的話。當我們藉著祂所說的抱住祂時，我們的心就能得到安慰。 神樂意鍛鍊我們的信心，是為了我們個人與教會與世人的益處。但是我們非但不歡迎這種鍛鍊，反而常常躲避。其實當試煉臨到的時候，我們應當這樣說：「天父把這試煉的杯放在我手中，是為叫我受享將來的甘甜。」 試煉是信心的糧食；請讓我們將自己交在天父的手中罷，因為祂樂意賜好處給祂的孩子。並且不只試煉和困難能鍛鍊加增我們的信心，讀經也是如此。讀經能使我們更熟識神，與神成為摯友，因為祂已在聖經中顯明與啟示祂自己。 你能否開口說出神是可愛的呢？如果還不能，就讓我們誠摯地勸你趕快求神賜你生出讀經的嗜好來，好使你知道祂的溫柔與仁慈，於是能說出神的美好，並祂如何歡喜恩待兒女的心意！當我們越是達到這種高度，越是願意把自己交托在神的手中，也就越是滿意祂對於我們的一切安置。 這樣當試煉來臨時，我們將會如此說：「我要等待，看神這一次將要給我甚麼恩典。無論如何祂必叫我得益處。」於是我們就能在世人面前作美好的見證，同時也能堅固其他信徒的信心。--慕勒 George Mueller 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "I trust in thy word" (Ps. 119:42). Just in proportion in which we believe that God will do just what He has said, is our faith strong or weak. Faith has nothing to do with feelings, or with impressions, with improbabilities, or with outward appearances. If we desire to couple them with faith, then we are no longer resting on the Word of God because faith needs nothing of the kind. Faith rests on the naked Word of God. When we take Him at His Word, the heart is at peace. God delights to exercise faith, first for blessing in our own souls, then for blessing in the Church at large, and also for those without. But this exercise we shrink from instead of welcoming. When trials come, we should say: "My Heavenly Father puts this cup of trial into my hands, that I may have something sweet afterwards." Trials are the food of faith. Oh, let us leave ourselves in the hands of our Heavenly Father! It is the joy of His heart to do good to all His children. But trials and difficulties are not the only means by which faith is exercised and thereby increased. There is the reading of the Scriptures, that we may by them acquaint ourselves with God as He has revealed Himself in His Word. Are you able to say, from the acquaintance you have made with God, that He is a lovely Being? If not, let me affectionately entreat you to ask God to bring you to this, that you may admire His gentleness and kindness, that you may be able to say how good He is, and what a delight it is to the heart of God to do good to His children. Now the nearer we come to this in our inmost souls, the more ready we are to leave ourselves in His hands, satisfied with all His dealings with us. And when trial comes, we shall say: "I will wait and see what good God will do to me by it, assured He will do it." Thus we shall bear an honorable testimony before the world, and thus we shall strengthen the hands of others. --George Mueller. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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