二月十七日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/02/0217.mp3″]
经文: 其实耶和华仍在那里。（以西结书三十五：10）
以东的王子看到整个以色列国已成荒场，以为能轻易地占领以色列。但是在他们的路上有一大难处，是他们所未知的，就是耶和华仍在那里。祂的同在是蒙拣选之地的特殊保障。无论上帝子民的仇敌有何计划和方法，这同一个障碍都能予以瓦解。众圣徒是上帝的选民，祂在他们中间并保护他们。这一保证使我们在困难中和属灵的争战中获得何等大的安慰！我们不断遭到反对，然而也永远受保护。撒但经常向我们的信心射箭，但是我们的信心足以抵御从地狱而来像火一般的箭。它们不仅仅是被挡偏离，而是一碰到盾牌就熄灭了，因为上帝在那里。我们的善行是撒但攻击的对象。圣徒一切美德或恩典，无一不是地狱枪炮的靶子。无论是光明闪耀的希望，或是温暖热烈的爱，或是凡事恒久忍耐，或是如燃烧火焰的热诚，皆成为撒但企图毁灭的对象，因它是与一切善事为敌的。任何美德或可爱之物能在我们之中生存的唯一理由是──主在那里。倘若一生有主同在，我们何需害怕死亡！当时间逝去，我们双脚仍坚立在万古磐石上。从基督徒生命的第一刻开始至最未了，我们不会灭亡之唯一理由也是因主在那里。唯有当永恒之爱的上帝改变决定并让祂的选民灭亡时，教会才会被毁。
Evening, February 17
Scripture: “Whereas the Lord was there.”(Ezekiel 35:10)
Edom’s princes saw the whole country left desolate, and counted upon its easy conquest; but there was one great difficulty in their way－quite unknown to them－“The Lord was there”; and in his presence lay the special security of the chosen land. Whatever may be the machinations and devices of the enemies of God’s people, there is still the same effectual barrier to thwart their design. The saints are God’s heritage, and he is in the midst of them, and will protect his own. What comfort this assurance yields us in our troubles and spiritual conflicts! We are constantly opposed, and yet perpetually preserved! How often Satan shoots his arrows against our faith, but our faith defies the power of hell’s fiery darts; they are not only turned aside, but they are quenched upon its shield, for “the Lord is there.” Our good works are the subjects of Satan’s attacks. A saint never yet had a virtue or a grace which was not the target for hellish bullets: whether it was hope bright and sparkling, or love warm and fervent, or patience all-enduring, or zeal flaming like coals of fire, the old enemy of everything that is good has tried to destroy it. The only reason why anything virtuous or lovely survives in us is this, “the Lord is there.”
If the Lord be with us through life, we need not fear for our dying confidence; for when we come to die, we shall find that “the Lord is there”; where the billows are most tempestuous, and the water is most chill, we shall feel the bottom, and know that it is good: our feet shall stand upon the Rock of Ages when time is passing away. Beloved, from the first of a Christian’s life to the last, the only reason why he does not perish is because “the Lord is there.” When the God of everlasting love shall change and leave his elect to perish, then may the Church of God be destroyed; but not till then, because it is written, JEHOVAH SHAMMAH , “The Lord is there.”