二月二十八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/02/0228.mp3″]
经文: 坛内的面果不减少,瓶里的油也不缺短,正如耶和华藉以利亚所说的话。(列王纪上十七:16)
请看上帝的爱是何等信实!这位妇人有每日生活所需,她要在饥荒期间喂饱自己和儿子。现在,她还要供养先知以利亚。虽然需要倍加,但是她的食物之供应源源不断。每天,她从同一个坛中取面作饼,但是每日留在坛中的面并没有减少。你同样也有每日所需,因为你经常有需要,你可能担心有一日坛中的面会用罄,瓶里的油也会滴干。尽可放心,根据上帝的话,这事永不会临到你。纵然你比玛土撒拉更长寿、纵然你的需要如海滩的沙一般多,上帝的恩典与慈爱将维持你一生所需,永不缺乏。在这位寡妇所经历的三年之中,天上从未出现一片云,星星也从未眨眼掉下一滴露珠在这邪恶的世上。饥饿、荒芜与死亡使得大地变为凄凉的旷野。但是这位妇人因有充足的口粮常常喜乐。你也会有相同的经验。你将见到罪人因依靠自己的力量而希望破灭。你也将见到骄傲的法利赛人,因将希望建造在沙上而自信崩溃。你甚至会见到自己的计划毁灭枯萎了,却能在救恩的磐石中寻得防御之处。
Evening, February 28
Scripture: “The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.”(1 Kings 17:16)
See the faithfulness of divine love. You observe that this woman had daily necessities. She had herself and her son to feed in a time of famine; and now, in addition, the prophet Elijah was to be fed too. But though the need was threefold, yet the supply of meal wasted not, for she had a constant supply. Each day she made calls upon the barrel, but yet each day it remained the same. You, dear reader, have daily necessities, and because they come so frequently, you are apt to fear that the barrel of meal will one day be empty, and the cruse of oil will fail you. Rest assured that, according to the Word of God, this shall not be the case. Each day, though it bring its trouble, shall bring its help; and though you should live to outnumber the years of Methuselah, and though your needs should be as many as the sands of the seashore, yet shall God’s grace and mercy last through all your necessities, and you shall never know a real lack. For three long years, in this widow’s days, the heavens never saw a cloud, and the stars never wept a holy tear of dew upon the wicked earth: famine, and desolation, and death, made the land a howling wilderness, but this woman never was hungry, but always joyful in abundance. So shall it be with you. You shall see the sinner’s hope perish, for he trusts his native strength; you shall see the proud Pharisee’s confidence totter, for he builds his hope upon the sand; you shall see even your own schemes blasted and withered, but you yourself shall find that your place of defence shall be the munition of rocks: “Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.” Better have God for your guardian, than the Bank of England for your possession. You might spend the wealth of the Indies, but the infinite riches of God you can never exhaust.