五月十八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/05/0518.mp3″]
经文: 后来。（希伯来书十二：11）
经磨炼以后的基督徒是何等快乐啊！暴风雨以后的宁静是多么深沉！谁不会为雨后闪烁的阳光欢呼？攀登上艰难山以后，我们坐在树荫下憩息。经过谦卑谷的旅行和与黑暗之子争战以后，发光者出现了，手持生命树的医治枝子。我们的忧伤像在海上通过的船，在海面上留下圣洁的银线，那是“以后”的事。在一度统治我们之罪恶心灵的可怕混乱之后，接续而来的是甜美深沉之平安。基督徒最后必获得上好的东西。即使在最糟之事“后面”仍有美好之事，如同艰辛的耕犁产生喜乐的丰收。甚至现在，他也能因损失而致富、因跌倒而爬起、因死亡而得生、因倒空自己而变为丰盛。在今生中，他忧伤的痛苦带来许多平安的果子，“以后”在天国中，喜乐将是何等之多？若在地牢中他能歌唱，在天国中他的歌声将是何等甜美！若现在他能视困难为好事，到那时，上帝涌流的仁慈对他是何等美好！谁不愿意为以后将得之冠冕去背负目前的十字架呢？但是我们需要忍耐。因为今日尚不能休息，得胜也不在眼前，在“以后”。等待吧，让忍耐作成其功。
Evening, May 18
Scripture: “Afterward.”(Hebrews 12:11)
How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? Victorious banquets are for well-exercised soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the honey; after climbing the Hill Difficulty, we sit down in the arbour to rest; after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows, like the passing keels of the vessels upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them “afterwards.” It is peace, sweet, deep peace, which follows the horrible turmoil which once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls. See, then, the happy estate of a Christian! He has his best things last, and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first. But even his worst things are “afterward” good things, harsh ploughings yielding joyful harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives by dying, and becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what shall be the full vintage of joy “afterwards” in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world’s days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how will he extol him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then? Oh, blessed “afterward!” Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown which cometh afterwards? But herein is work for patience, for the rest is not for to-day, nor the triumph for the present, but “afterward.” Wait, O soul, and let patience have her perfect work.
