六月二十四日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/06/0624.mp3″]
经文: 沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌,对王说,……王啊,我们决不事奉你的神。(但以理书三:16、18)
这三个希伯来少年的大胆、勇敢和奇特的话语,说明了他们在暴政的齿缝间和死亡的双颚间仍然高举真理,坚定不移。无论是在对上帝的信心或是在处理事务的正直上,两者皆不可违背你的良心。宁愿损失一切,也不可丧失你的廉正。其他一切虽尽都失去,仍要坚定保持一个清洁的良心,它将成为装饰人心的稀世珍宝。不要随从流沙政策的引导,却要跟从上帝权柄下不移动的星宿。当你看不到眼前的利益时,但凭着信心不凭眼见去行。当面临之事会损及原则时,以信靠上帝来尊崇祂。祂会用自己的话来证明:“敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了”(提前六:6)。“你们要先求祂的国和祂的义,这些东西都要加给你们了。”(太六:33)在上帝的保佑中,你因服从良心行事而遭受损失,这事是可能发生的。你会发现主若不以属世亨通之银子偿还你,就会实现祂的应许,以属灵喜乐的金子偿还你。请记住“人的生命不在乎家道丰富”(路十二:15)。一个诚实的灵,一颗没有过犯的心,和蒙恩于上帝,比钻石矿更为丰富。“吃素菜,彼此相爱,强如吃肥牛,彼此相恨。”(箴十五:17)一两深厚内在的平安,胜过一吨黄金。
Evening, June 24
Scripture: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said … Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.”(Daniel 3:16, 18)
The narrative of the manly courage and marvellous deliverance of the three holy children, or rather champions, is well calculated to excite in the minds of believers firmness and steadfastness in upholding the truth in the teeth of tyranny and in the very jaws of death. Let young Christians especially learn from their example, both in matters of faith in religion, and matters of uprightness in business, never to sacrifice their consciences. Lose all rather than lose your integrity, and when all else is gone, still hold fast a clear conscience as the rarest jewel which can adorn the bosom of a mortal. Be not guided by the will-o’-the-wisp of policy, but by the pole-star of divine authority. Follow the right at all hazards. When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honour to trust him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle. See whether he will be your debtor! See if he doth not even in this life prove his word that “Godliness, with contentment, is great gain,” and that they who “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall have all these things added unto them.” Should it happen that, in the providence of God, you are a loser by conscience, you shall find that if the Lord pays you not back in the silver of earthly prosperity, he will discharge his promise in the gold of spiritual joy. Remember that a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of that which he possesseth. To wear a guileless spirit, to have a heart void of offence, to have the favour and smile of God, is greater riches than the mines of Ophir could yield, or the traffic of Tyre could win. “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and inward contention therewith.” An ounce of heart’s-ease is worth a ton of gold.