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經文：「以西結在迦巴魯河邊被擄的人中，天就開了，得見神的異象。....耶和華的話特特臨到。」（結1:1-3） 被擄之人是最好的解經家。當我們坐在自己的巴別溪旁時，舊的「詩篇」用新的感動為我們發出顫音；當我們發現被擄的人重獲自由，好像南地的水復流，為我們響起新的喜樂之聲。 凡是經歷過許多苦難的人，不會輕易離開他自己的那本「聖經」。在他人看來，每一本似乎並無不同，但是對他來說卻是大大不同。因為在這本淚痕斑斑的舊「聖經」上，他曾寫有許多字；並且這些字除了自己，別人都認不出來。其中記載的個人親身經歷，例如一再遇到的伯特利的柱子和以琳的棕樹，而這些正是他一生幾處重要篇章的備忘錄。 如果我們要從自己的「被擄」中得到益處，就必須先接受自己的處境，並盡可能將它轉變為最好的處境。與其為已經挪去或除掉的環境煩惱，非但無濟於事，反而會妨礙我們改善現有的處境。神有時樂意把我們暫時幽禁在試煉與患難中；如果我們竭力掙扎的話，我們的綑綁就會越掙越緊。 一匹焦躁的馬，如果不肯安安靜靜地套著馬頭絡，反要竭力掙扎的話，結果無非在厩舍中勒死。一隻負軛的動物，如果倔強掙扎，結果無非擦傷牠自己的頸肩。所以請不要學那愚昧躁動的驚鳥，用翅膀拍撲鳥籠，結果只是拍傷了自己的翅膀；讓我們學作馴良的金絲雀，安坐在棲木上歌唱。 沒有一件災禍能傷害我們，如果我們立刻用虔誠的禱告把它帶到神面前。常常有人在樹下避雨，卻無意間在樹上找到果子；照樣當我們逃到神的翅膀蔭下避難的時候，也將在祂的裡面找到許多以往所未曾看見，與未曾知道的事物。 這樣，神藉著我們的試煉與患難，給了我們新的啟示；雅博渡口變成了毘努依勒；摔跤變成了「面對面見了神」（創32:30）。親愛的讀者，你還有甚麼可傷心的呢？神將使你「夜間歌唱」，「使死蔭變為晨光」（摩5:8）。且快來讚美祂罷！--戴威廉 William Taylor 「服從神的旨意是最柔軟，最令人安然入睡的枕頭。」 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "As I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God . . . and the hand of the Lord was there upon me" (Ezek. 1:1,3). There is no commentator of the Scriptures half so valuable as a captivity. The old Psalms have quavered for us with a new pathos as we sat by our "Babel's stream," and have sounded for us with new joy as we found our captivity turned as the streams in the South. The man who has seen much affliction will not readily part with his copy of the Word of God. Another book may seem to others to be identical with his own; but it is not the same to him, for over his old and tear-stained Bible he has written, in characters which are visible to no eyes but his own, the record of his experiences, and ever and anon he comes on Bethel pillars or Elim palms, which are to him the memorials of some critical chapter in his history. If we are to receive benefit from our captivity we must accept the situation and turn it to the best possible account. Fretting over that from which we have been removed or which has been taken away from us, will not make things better, but it will prevent us from improving those which remain. The bond is only tightened by our stretching it to the uttermost. The impatient horse which will not quietly endure his halter only strangles himself in his stall. The high-mettled animal that is restive in the yoke only galls his shoulders; and every one will understand the difference between the restless starling of which Sterne has written, breaking its wings against the bars of the cage, and crying, "I can't get out, I can't get out," and the docile canary that sits upon its perch and sings as if it would outrival the lark soaring to heaven's gate. No calamity can be to us an unmixed evil if we carry it in direct and fervent prayer to God, for even as one in taking shelter from the rain beneath a tree may find on its branches fruit which he looked not for, so we in fleeing for refuge beneath the shadow of God's wing, will always find more in God than we had seen or known before. It is thus through our trials and afflictions that God gives us fresh revelations of Himself; and the Jabbok ford leads to Peniel, where, as the result of our wrestling, we "see God face to face," and our lives are preserved. Take this to thyself, O captive, and He will give thee "songs in the night," and turn for thee "the shadow of death into the morning." --William Taylor "Submission to the divine will is the softest pillow on which to recline." ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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