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經文：「祂乘旋風和暴風而來，雲彩為祂腳下的塵土。」(鴻 1:3) 曾經有位年輕人參觀一所坐落於美麗山中的古典學院；當他坐在山頂觀賞的時候，看到暴風雨從山谷迎面襲來。 天空立刻佈滿了烏雲，大地也因雷電而顫抖。原本平靜安詳的景色全然改變，彷彿曾經的秀麗美景將從此消失。 但那暴風雨快速移動離開了山谷；令那年輕人不禁想像：如果隔天仍坐在原處，會驚訝地問：「那可怕的風暴和撲天蓋地的黑暗現在何處？」 小草會說：「一部分在我裏面。」；雛菊也會說：「一部分在我裏面。」；果樹、花朵和一切大地萬物也都會說：「一部分在我裏面。」 你曾被要求效法你的主嗎？你曾渴望結出聖靈的果子，祈求擁有馨香、溫柔和愛心嗎？ 那麼請不要畏懼那經過你生命的暴風雨的試煉。那風暴乃是祝福，因為「後來」就會生出豐盛的果實。--Henry Ward Beecher 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and storm" (Nahum 1:3). I recollect, when a lad, and while attending a classical institute in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, sitting on an elevation of that mountain, and watching a storm as it came up the valley. The heavens were filled with blackness, and the earth was shaken by the voice of thunder. It seemed as though that fair landscape was utterly changed, and its beauty gone never to return. But the storm swept on, and passed out of the valley; and if I had sat in the same place on the following day, and said, "Where is that terrible storm, with all its terrible blackness?" the grass would have said, "Part of it is in me," and the daisy would have said, "Part of it is in me," and the fruits and flowers and everything that grows out of the ground would have said, "Part of the storm is incandescent in me." Have you asked to be made like your Lord? Have you longed for the fruit of the Spirit, and have you prayed for sweetness and gentleness and love? Then fear not the stormy tempest that is at this moment sweeping through your life. A blessing is in the storm, and there will be the rich fruitage in the "afterward." --Henry Ward Beecher ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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