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經文：「神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。」（創41:52） 某日，天空下著夏日的陣雨，一位詩人正站在窗口觀看，傾盆的大雨猛烈沖刷著大地。但是詩人在其想像中看到的不止是眼前的雨勢，他看到無數可愛的花朵即將從淋水的泥土中生出，使大地充滿無比的美麗和芳香。於是他吟詠道： ＂這不是在下雨，而是下水仙花，在每滴雨珠中，我看見山上的野花。烏雲席捲白天，大雨如注而降，這不是在下雨，而是下玫瑰花。＂ 也許正在受神試驗的信徒會說：「 考驗正在連續不斷地臨到， 我似乎已經就要不能忍受。 失望將會很快地接著到來， 所有的計劃就會付諸流水。 各種失去陸續傾注生活中， 使我畏縮的心靈在緊張與苦難中顫抖。 這樣的日子， 苦難的大雨確實重重地擊打我的靈魂。」 然而朋友，你錯了，這不只是下雨，而是在下福雨。因爲只要你相信神的話，在雨水的沖擊之後就會生出又香又美的屬靈花朵，那是你那過往未經風暴與考驗的生命絕對成長不出來的花。 我們確實看到了雨，可是是否也看到花？這些試煉雖然使你痛苦，但是神看到在那些試煉之下，你的生命正開出賞心悅目的信心之花；你的心在失落的痛苦中畏縮了，但是神看到悲痛帶給你的深刻和豐富。 所以這不是在下苦難的雨，是在下溫柔、愛心、同情、忍耐和屬靈的上千種花朵與果子之雨，所為你生命帶來的屬靈豐富，是屬世的豐富絕對無法相比的。 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" (Gen. 41:52). The summer showers are falling. The poet stands by the window watching them. They are beating and buffeting the earth with their fierce downpour. But the poet sees in his imaginings more than the showers which are falling before his eyes. He sees myriads of lovely flowers which shall be soon breaking forth from the watered earth, filling it with matchless beauty and fragrance. And so he sings: "It isn't raining rain for me, it's raining daffodils; In every dimpling drop I see wild flowers upon the hills. A cloud of gray engulfs the day, and overwhelms the town; It isn't raining rain for me: it's raining roses down." Perchance some one of God's chastened children is even now saying, "O God, it is raining hard for me tonight. "Testings are raining upon me which seem beyond my power to endure. Disappointments are raining fast, to the utter defeat of all my chosen plans. Bereavements are raining into my life which are making my shrinking heart quiver in its intensity of suffering. The rain of affliction is surely beating down upon my soul these days." Withal, friend, you are mistaken. It isn't raining rain for you. It's raining blessing. For, if you will but believe your Father's Word, under that beating rain are springing up spiritual flowers of such fragrance and beauty as never before grew in that stormless, unchastened life of yours. You indeed see the rain. But do you see also the flowers? You are pained by the testings. But God sees the sweet flower of faith which is upspringing in your life under those very trials. You shrink from the suffering. But God sees the tender compassion for other sufferers which is finding birth in your soul. Your heart winces under the sore bereavement. But God sees the deepening and enriching which that sorrow has brought to you. It isn't raining afflictions for you. It is raining tenderness, love, compassion, patience, and a thousand other flowers and fruits of the blessed Spirit, which are bringing into your life such a spiritual enrichment as all the fullness of worldly prosperity and ease was never able to beget in your innermost soul. --J. M. McC. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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