「這樣看來必另有一安息,為神的子民存留。」(希伯來書四章9節英文聖經直譯)
「耶和華....使他們四境平安....耶和華把一切仇敵都交在他們手中。」(約書亞記二十一章44 節)
「因為耶和華喜愛祂的百姓;祂用救恩給低微的人作妝飾。」
一位著名的事奉主的工人告訴我們他母親的故事:
他的母親是一位非常多憂多慮的基督徒,他常花數小時時和她談話,要想叫她看見煩惱是一個罪,但是 一點沒有用處。她曾飽經很多苦楚,特別是那些從未來臨的。
一天早晨,他母親下樓來吃早點;滿面笑容,和平常都不相同。他心中非常納悶,就問她什麼事情叫她這樣喜樂;她告訴他:夜間她做了一個奇異的夢。
夢中她和一大群疲倦、背重擔的人,同在一條大路上行走。他們背上都背著很多黑色的包裹;她看見 很多形狀可憎的惡魔把那些黑色的包裹撒在地上,讓人們去拾起來背著。
她自己也像別人一樣,背著那些無須背的重擔,覺得非常沉重。過了一會,她抬起頭來,看見一位人子,帶著一個榮耀的慈顏,在人群中走來走去安慰人們。
最後那位人子走到她身邊來了;她仔細一看,原來是她的主。她仰起頭來告訴祂她非常的疲倦,祂帶著 一個憂愁的笑容對她說:
「親愛的孩子,這些重擔並不是我給你的;你用不著去背它們。它們是魔鬼給你的,魔鬼要把你的命壓出來,你知道麼?所以只要將它們丟下來,連你的手指也不去摸一摸,你就會覺得道路容易了,你也會覺得像生了翅膀一樣。」
祂用手一摸,看哪,平安和喜樂充滿了她的全身;她把她的重擔一擲,正想倒在祂腳前感謝祂,她突然醒了,發覺她一切的掛慮都消失了。從這一天起,直到她死的日子,她成了全家最喜樂的一個人。── 選
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“There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God.” (Heb. 4:9.)
“And the Lord gave them rest round about;…the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.” (Joshua 21:44.)
An eminent Christian worker tells of his mother who was a very anxious and troubled Christian. He would talk with her by the hour trying to convince her of the sinfulness of fretting, but to no avail.
She was like the old lady who once said she had suffered so much, especially from the troubles that never came.
But one morning the mother came down to breakfast wreathed in smiles. He asked her what had happened, and she told him that in the night she had a dream. She was walking along a highway with a great crowd of people who seemed so tired and burdened. They were nearly all carrying little black bundles, and she noticed that there were numerous repulsive looking beings which she thought were demons dropping these black bundles for the people to pick up and carry. Like the rest, she too had her needless load, and was weighed down with the devil’s bundles. Looking up, after a while, she saw a Man with a bright and loving face, passing hither and thither through the crowd, and comforting the people.
At last He came near her, and she saw that it was her Saviour. She looked up and told Him how tired she was, and He smiled sadly and said: “My dear child, I did not give you these loads; you have no need of them. They are the devil’s burdens and they are wearing out your life. Just drop them; refuse to touch them with one of your fingers and you will find the path easy and you will be as if borne on eagle’s wings.”
He touched her hand, and look, peace and joy thrilled her frame and, flinging down her burden, she was about to throw herself at His feet in joyful thanksgiving, when suddenly she awoke and found that all her cares were gone. From that day to the close of her life she was the most cheerful and happy member of the household.
And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.--- Longfellow.
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