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「耶穌就對彼得說，收刀入鞘罷，我父給我的那杯，我豈可不喝呢。」（聖經約翰福音十八章 11 節）
神塑造我們，比藝術家作畫要辛苦千倍，要經過很多充滿悲痛的筆法，加以各種色調的背景，才把我們造成祂心目中最高貴的形式。而在我們方面，只要以正當的精神接受祂所賜的「沒藥」。
但若把那杯推開，抹煞或漠視這些充滿悲痛的感情，對於靈魂就會造成比以往所能修補者更大的傷害。沒有人能想象上帝以何等超越的愛，把沒藥賜給我們，我們應該接受這對靈魂有益的恩賜。然而我們卻讓它在不注意的疏忽中過去，於是從祂那兒得不到什麽。
口中卻抱怨起來，說道：「主啊，我是如何的飢渴，心中是如何地黑暗！」親愛的孩子，我告訴你，你要打開心扉接受神所賜的苦藥，這比僅有情感和虔誠，對你更為有益。 ── 陶勒
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"Shall I refuse to drink the cup of sorrow which the Father has given me to drink?" (John 18:11.) (Wey-mouth.)
GOD takes a thousand times more pains with us than the artist with his picture, by many touches of sorrow, and by many colors of circumstance, to bring us into the form which is the highest and noblest in His sight, if only we receive his gifts of myrrh in the right spirit.
But when the cup is put away, and these feelings are stifled or unheeded, a greater injury is done to the soul that can ever be amended. For no heart can conceive in what surpassing love God giveth us this myrrh; yet this which we ought to receive to our souls' good we suffer to pass by us in our sleepy indifference, and nothing comes of it.
Then we come and complain: "Alas, Lord! I am so dry, and it is so dark within me!" I tell thee, dear child, open thy heart to the pain, and it will do thee more good than if thou wert full of feeling and devoutness.--- Tauler.
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