三月二十一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/03/0321.mp3″]
经文: 你能系住昂星的结么，能解开参星的带么？（约伯记三十八：31）
倘若我们企图鼓吹自己的能力，自然界的壮丽立即会显出我们是何等的渺小。在熠熠闪烁的众星中，我们不能使最小的一颗移动。明亮的晨光中，我们也不能熄灭其中任何一线光辉。我们谈论能力，天体不禁因轻蔑而嘲笑我们。当昂星，那壮观的一束星团在春天出现时，我们不能抑制它的辉煌。当参星高悬天际，严冬已临，我们不能松开冰封之带。四季依照上帝的定规运转，无人能变更其时序。主啊，“人算什么，祢竟顾念他？”（诗八：4）。在灵界和自然界里，人的能力实在有限。人尽其巧艺和预谋，无法停止保惠师赐生命的能力。当祂降临于一教会并使之复兴时，最强劲的敌人也无法抵挡其善工。他们可能发出讥诮，但是无法抑制这能力，如同当昂星高照时，他们不能抵挡春天来临一样。上帝定意的事必然成就。唯独上帝能从人或教会中除去属灵死亡之冬。祂能作到，那是何等的祝福！主啊，求祢结束我的冬天，开始我的春天！我无能将我的灵从死亡与阴霾中提升，但是在祢凡事都能。我需要从天而来的力量、祢大爱的照亮、祢恩典的光芒和祢面容的荣光。这是我的昂星。我在罪恶和试探中已经受够了苦，那是我的寒冬，是我的可怕参星。主啊，求祢在我身上行奇妙之工，为我行奇妙之工！
Evening, March 21
Scripture: “Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?”(Job 38:31)
If inclined to boast of our abilities, the grandeur of nature may soon show us how puny we are. We cannot move the least of all the twinkling stars, or quench so much as one of the beams of the morning. We speak of power, but the heavens laugh us to scorn. When the Pleiades shine forth in spring with vernal joy we cannot restrain their influences, and when Orion reigns aloft, and the year is bound in winter’s fetters, we cannot relax the icy bands. The seasons revolve according to the divine appointment, neither can the whole race of men effect a change therein. Lord, what is man?
In the spiritual, as in the natural world, man’s power is limited on all hands. When the Holy Spirit sheds abroad his delights in the soul, none can disturb; all the cunning and malice of men are ineffectual to stay the genial quickening power of the Comforter. When he deigns to visit a church and revive it, the most inveterate enemies cannot resist the good work; they may ridicule it, but they can no more restrain it than they can push back the spring when the Pleiades rule the hour. God wills it, and so it must be. On the other hand, if the Lord in sovereignty, or in justice, bind up a man so that he is in soul bondage, who can give him liberty? He alone can remove the winter of spiritual death from an individual or a people. He looses the bands of Orion, and none but he. What a blessing it is that he can do it. O that he would perform the wonder to-night. Lord, end my winter, and let my spring begin. I cannot with all my longings raise my soul out of her death and dulness, but all things are possible with thee. I need celestial influences, the clear shinings of thy love, the beams of thy grace, the light of thy countenance, these are the Pleiades to me. I suffer much from sin and temptation, these are my wintry signs, my terrible Orion. Lord, work wonders in me, and for me. Amen.