八月二日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/08/0802.mp3″]
经文: 这样，路得在田间舍取麦穗，直到晚上。（路得记二：17）
路得到田间去舍取麦穗，我也必须出发到田野去祈祷、默想，并聆听上帝的话，舍取属灵的粮食。拾穗者是一个穗、一个穗舍取，她的收获是点滴累积起来的。积穗成捆，每一个福音的功课都帮助我们，使我们更明白救恩。拾穗者的眼睛必须明亮。她若作白日梦，就不能乐观的带着成捆的麦穗回家。在属灵的操练上，我必须儆醒，免得这些操练于我无益。但愿我能正确判断眼前的机会，并以更大的勤劳来拾穗！拾穗者屈身拾取一切所寻得的，我也必须如此。骄傲的灵喜欢批评喜欢反对，谦卑的心却屈身舍取并有所获益。谦卑的心会大大地帮助人从听到的福音去获益。唯有以谦卑的态度才能明白救恩。骄傲如同可恶的强盗，我们丝毫也不能忍受。拾穗者拾到的，她都握住。她若抛下一穗去寻找另一穗，那她虽整天辛劳，收获仍少。她不仅小心拾穗，尚要小心保住，结果她的收获是大的。我常常忘记听到的。第二项真理将第一项真理从我脑中推出去，所以所读、听到的都只是不断地学习，甚少应用。我明白将真理累积储存的重要性吗？饥饿的肚腹让拾穗者有智慧，明白手中若无穗子，桌上将无食物。我的需要比这更大。主啊！求祢帮助我感受到这莫大的需要，并催逼我前去田间拾穗，去获得勤劳的大赏赐。
Evening, August 2
Scripture: “So she gleaned in the field until even.”(Ruth 2:17)
Let me learn from Ruth, the gleaner. As she went out to gather the ears of corn, so must I go forth into the fields of prayer, meditation, the ordinances, and hearing the word to gather spiritual food. The gleaner gathers her portion ear by ear; her gains are little by little: so must I be content to search for single truths, if there be no greater plenty of them. Every ear helps to make a bundle, and every gospel lesson assists in making us wise unto salvation. The gleaner keeps her eyes open: if she stumbled among the stubble in a dream, she would have no load to carry home rejoicingly at eventide. I must be watchful in religious exercises lest they become unprofitable to me; I fear I have lost much already－O that I may rightly estimate my opportunities, and glean with greater diligence. The gleaner stoops for all she finds, and so must I. High spirits criticize and object, but lowly minds glean and receive benefit. A humble heart is a great help towards profitably hearing the gospel. The engrafted soul-saving word is not received except with meekness. A stiff back makes a bad gleaner; down, master pride, thou art a vile robber, not to be endured for a moment. What the gleaner gathers she holds: if she dropped one ear to find another, the result of her day’s work would be but scant; she is as careful to retain as to obtain, and so at last her gains are great. How often do I forget all that I hear; the second truth pushes the first out of my head, and so my reading and hearing end in much ado about nothing! Do I feel duly the importance of storing up the truth? A hungry belly makes the gleaner wise; if there be no corn in her hand, there will be no bread on her table; she labours under the sense of necessity, and hence her tread is nimble and her grasp is firm; I have even a greater necessity, Lord, help me to feel it, that it may urge me onward to glean in fields which yield so plenteous a reward to diligence.
