『北風阿,興起。南風阿,吹來。吹在我的園內,使其中的香氣發出來。』(歌四章十六節)
我們先把這節聖經的意義看一看。事實告訴我們芬芳的香氣是潛伏在香料樹裡面的;照樣,沒有運用、沒有開發的恩典,也是隱伏在基督人的心內的。
有時候,神用猛烈的狂風來試煉祂的孩子們,為的是要開發隱伏的恩典。火把燒得最旺的時候,是將它拿著晃動的時候;檜木氣味最香的時候,是將它投在火中焚燒的時候;照樣,一個基督人最豐富的靈命,也是在各種苦難和試煉下掙扎出來的。一個壓傷的心,才會發出神所愛聞的芬芳來。-選
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"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spice thereof may flow out!"(Song of Solomon 4:16.)
Look at the meaning of this prayer a moment. Its root is found in the fact that, as delicious odors may lie latent in a spice tree, so graces may lie unexercised and undeveloped in a Christian's heart. There is many a plant of profession: but from the ground there breathes forth no fragrance of holy affections or of godly deeds. The same winds blow on the thistle bush and on the spice tree, but it is only one of them which given out rich odors.
Sometimes God sends severe blasts of trial upon His children to develop their graces. Just as torches burn most brightly when swung to and fro; just as the juniper plant smells sweetest when flung into the flames; so the richest qualities of a Christian often come out under the north wind of suffering and adversity. Bruised hearts often emit the fragrance that God loveth to smell.
"I had a tiny box, a precious box
Of human love-my spikenard of great price;
I kept it close within my heart of hearts,
And scarce would lift the lid lest it should waste
Its perfume on the air. One day a strange
Deep sorrow came with crushing weight, and fell
Upon my costly treasure, sweet and rare,
And broke the box to atoms. All my heart
Rose in dismay and sorrow at this waste,
But as I mourned, behold a miracle
Of grace Divine. My human love was changed
To Heaven's own, and poured in healing streams
On other broken hearts, while soft and clear
A voice a above me whispered, "Child of Mine,
With comfort wherewith thou art comforted,
>From this time forth, go comfort others,
And thou shalt know blest fellowship with Me,
Whose broken heart of love hath healed the world."
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