荒漠甘泉01/07

荒漠甘泉∕1月 7日

原作∕Mrs. Charles E. Cowman


「我無論在甚麼景況都可以知足,這是我已經學會了。」
(聖經腓立比書四章11節)

 

  保羅,輕看了一切的福樂,在監獄中寫上面的幾句話。

 

  有一個故事講到一個國王一天早晨獨自到他的花園中去散步,他發現所有的花草樹木都凋萎了。園中充滿了死象,一無生氣。

 

  國王非常詫異,就問園門口的一棵橡樹:它們中間究竟出了什麼岔子。後來他才知道橡樹因為自怨沒有松樹那樣高大俊秀,所以就生出厭世之心。松樹又恨自己不能像葡萄藤那樣多結果子。葡萄藤也將自盡,因為它終日匍伏於地,不能直立,又不能像桃樹那樣開美麗可愛的花。牽牛兒也病倒了,因為它嘆自己沒有紫丁香那樣芬芳。

 

  其餘的都垂頭喪氣,怨自己不如人,只有一枝最小的心安草,國王見它仍在噴香吐艷,維持原狀。

 

  國王高興極了,對它說:「心安草,我真歡喜,別的都悲觀厭世,只有你這枝小草這樣勇敢,你似乎一點都沒有沮喪。」

 

  小草兒回答說:「王啊,我絕對沒有,連一絲的灰心、一毫的失望,也沒有。我雖然算不得甚麼,但是我知道如果你要一棵橡樹,或者一棵松樹,或者葡萄藤,或者桃樹,或者牽牛花,或者紫丁香,你就會去種植;我知道你要我做一枝小的心安草,所以我就心滿意足地盡力做一枝小的心安草。」 ──

 
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“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Phil. 4:11.)

[am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.]

Paul, denied of every comfort, wrote the above words in his dungeon.

A story is told of king who went into his garden one morning, and found everything withered and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine.

 The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac; and so on all through the garden. Coming to a heart’s-ease, he found its bright face lifted as cheery as ever. “Well, heart’ s-ease, I’m glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened.” “No, I am not of much account, but I thought that if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a heart’s-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart’s-ease that I can.”

“Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God’s heritage
Can do it so well as you.”

They who are God’s without reserve, are in every state content; for they will only what He will, and desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do; they strip themselves of everything, and in this nakedness find all things restored an hundred-fold.

 

 

 

 

發表於2008/06/19 01:04 (4363閱讀)


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