一月八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0108.mp3″]
“你的爱情比酒更美。”（歌一2）
对信徒来说，没有一件事比与主交通更喜乐的了。虽然他也可以享受一般人的生活，他也会在神的恩典和作为中满心喜悦；但无论是神的恩赐或作为，或是两者的总和，都比不上主耶稣所带给他真正的喜乐。祂有美酒，是世上的葡萄园酿造不出的；祂的粮食，是埃及的禾田生产不来的。当我们尝过与主亲近的滋味后，那里还能再找到那种甘甜呢？这世界所带来的快乐，若与属天的吗哪相比，充其量不过是猪食的豆荚而已。我们宁可浅尝基督的爱，以及与祂相交的滋味，胜过尝遍世俗肉体的快乐。糠秕怎能与麦子相比呢？外表闪烁的假宝石怎能与真钻石相比呢？一场春梦与真实的荣耀岂能相较呢？即使人间最愉快的时光，若与我们主耶稣最卑微的光景相比，也毫无价值！你若了解人内在的生命，你就会承认我们最高、最深和最持久的喜乐必是由生命树上结出来的，这树只在神的乐园中生长。没有任何泉源能像神的井，流出如此甜美的活水来。地上的祝福不过是世界的尘埃，但基督同在的平安，就像祂自己，是属天的珍宝。只要察验我们与耶稣相交的光景，就会发觉它多么充实。其中的酒是如此香醇！主所带来的喜乐正是如此充实而耐久。虚浮的世人不能品尝它，但肯谨慎细心体会的人就能证实，主所带来的喜乐经得起岁月的考验，它总是及时而来；在浩淼无限的永世里，只有它能称得上是“唯一真正的喜乐”。不论是礼品、安慰、欢乐，是食物和美酒，都不能与主耶稣的爱相比。今夜，让我们畅饮这爱情美酒吧！
Evening, January 8
Scripture: “Thy love is better than wine.”(Song of Solomon 1:2)
Nothing gives the believer so much joy as fellowship with Christ. He has enjoyment as others have in the common mercies of life, he can be glad both in God’s gifts and God’s works; but in all these separately, yea, and in all of them added together, he doth not find such substantial delight as in the matchless person of his Lord Jesus. He has wine which no vineyard on earth ever yielded; he has bread which all the corn-fields of Egypt could never bring forth. Where can such sweetness be found as we have tasted in communion with our Beloved? In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus, the heavenly manna. We would rather have one mouthful of Christ’s love, and a sip of his fellowship, than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality? What is time’s mirth, in its best trim, compared to our Lord Jesus in his most despised estate? If you know anything of the inner life, you will confess that our highest, purest, and most enduring joys must be the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. No spring yields such sweet water as that well of God which was digged with the soldier’s spear. All earthly bliss is of the earth earthy, but the comforts of Christ’s presence are like himself, heavenly. We can review our communion with Jesus, and find no regrets of emptiness therein; there are no dregs in this wine, no dead flies in this ointment. The joy of the Lord is solid and enduring. Vanity hath not looked upon it, but discretion and prudence testify that it abideth the test of years, and is in time and in eternity worthy to be called “the only true delight.” For nourishment, consolation, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus. Let us drink to the full this evening.