六月一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/06/0601.mp3″]
经文: 耶和华……使旷野像伊甸。(以赛亚书五十一:3)
我见到一异象,是一荒芜的旷野,一望无际,可怕的沙漠地如同撒哈拉。我被炎热的、干燥的黄沙包围,沙地上布满成万堆白骨。在此无情的荒野中,他们丧失了,病苦灭绝了。这是一幅阂人的图昼──无边无际沙海,没有绿洲,绝望人类的悲哀坟场!但是,看哪,奇妙之事发生了!突然,从炙灼的沙地萌出一物,我看到一棵绿色的植物。它长大了、发芽了、花苞待放。它是一朵玻瑰,在其旁有一朵百合花,低垂它谦恭的头。当花的香气弥散,旷野就变为一肥沃耕地。沙漠开始繁荣,如同黎巴嫩的荣华。被阳光暴晒而变白的骷髅,看,竟然复活了。已死的人跃起,成为一支强劲的军队,充满了永恒的生命。耶稣是那沙漠中的植物。祂的出现使万物更新了。从死亡中发出的奇妙生命,与发生在各人身上的救恩无异。天父将你描述成一初生婴儿、赤身露体,没有用水洗净、被血污染,被扔在野外作为野兽的食物(参阅结十六:3~6)。但是你被上帝怜悯,且被祂圣洁的供应拯救了,从你的污秽中把你洗涤干净了。你被接纳进入天家,在你额上盖上爱的美丽印记,信实的戒子戴在你的指头上。哦,无比的大能与恩典是何等的宝贵,它使沙漠变为园囿,使荒凉的心唱出欢歌!
Evening, June 1
Scripture: “He will make her wilderness like Eden.”(Isaiah 51:3)
Methinks, I see in vision a howling wilderness, a great and terrible desert, like to the Sahara. I perceive nothing in it to relieve the eye, all around I am wearied with a vision of hot and arid sand, strewn with ten thousand bleaching skeletons of wretched men who have expired in anguish, having lost their way in the pitiless waste. What an appalling sight! How horrible! a sea of sand without a bound, and without an oasis, a cheerless graveyard for a race forlorn! But behold and wonder! Upon a sudden, upspringing from the scorching sand I see a plant of renown; and as it grows it buds, the bud expands-it is a rose, and at its side a lily bows its modest head; and, miracle of miracles! as the fragrance of those flowers is diffused the wilderness is transformed into a fruitful field, and all around it blossoms exceedingly, the glory of Lebanon is given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. Call it not Sahara, call it Paradise. Speak not of it any longer as the valley of deathshade, for where the skeletons lay bleaching in the sun, behold a resurrection is proclaimed, and up spring the dead, a mighty army, full of life immortal. Jesus is that plant of renown, and his presence makes all things new. Nor is the wonder less in each individual’s salvation. Yonder I behold you, dear reader, cast out, an infant, unswathed, unwashed, defiled with your own blood, left to be food for beasts of prey. But lo, a jewel has been thrown into your bosom by a divine hand, and for its sake you have been pitied and tended by divine providence, you are washed and cleansed from your defilement, you are adopted into heaven’s family, the fair seal of love is upon your forehead, and the ring of faithfulness is on your hand-you are now a prince unto God, though once an orphan, cast away. O prize exceedingly the matchless power and grace which changes deserts into gardens, and makes the barren heart to sing for joy.