四月十日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/04/0410.mp3″]
经文: 祂的使者昨夜站在我旁边。（使徒行传二十七：23）
黑暗加上狂风大浪，沈船之危险节节逼近，整船的人面临极危急的时刻。只有一人完全镇静，他的话使其他人得以安心。保罗就是那位有勇气的人，他说：“劝你们放心。”（徒二十七：21～22）船上有身经百战的罗马老兵，也有勇敢经验丰富的水手，但是只有那位可怜的犹太囚犯比他们更勇敢。主耶稣差遣天上的使者在祂忠仆的耳中微声说出安慰的话，使他面容发光，说话时充满信心。我们若敬畏上帝，在最危急的环境中就可以期待主及时介入。天使不会受暴风雨或黑暗的拦阻。虽然平时天使不常出现，但是在试探和颠簸的夜晚他们却常常造访。当我们处于压力之下，朋友可能避不见面，但是我们与天使界之交往却频增。藉雅各的梯子，从宝座而来的爱之信息将加添我们的力量，我们从此有能力为上帝作大事。你是否困扰不已？耶稣是盟约的使者。你若迫切寻求祂的同在，祂必助你。在暴风雨之夜，当锚不再抛牢、附近出现礁石时，信徒可以像保罗一般，因为上帝的使者站在身旁而得到慰藉。
Evening, April 10
Scripture: “For there stood by me this night the angel of God.”(Acts 27:23)
Tempest and long darkness, coupled with imminent risk of shipwreck, had brought the crew of the vessel into a sad case; one man alone among them remained perfectly calm, and by his word the rest were reassured. Paul was the only man who had heart enough to say, “Sirs, be of good cheer.” There were veteran Roman legionaries on board, and brave old mariners, and yet their poor Jewish prisoner had more spirit than they all. He had a secret Friend who kept his courage up. The Lord Jesus despatched a heavenly messenger to whisper words of consolation in the ear of his faithful servant, therefore he wore a shining countenance and spake like a man at ease.
If we fear the Lord, we may look for timely interpositions when our case is at its worst. Angels are not kept from us by storms, or hindered by darkness. Seraphs think it no humiliation to visit the poorest of the heavenly family. If angel’s visits are few and far between at ordinary times, they shall be frequent in our nights of tempest and tossing. Friends may drop from us when we are under pressure, but our intercourse with the inhabitants of the angelic world shall be more abundant; and in the strength of love-words, brought to us from the throne by the way of Jacob’s ladder, we shall be strong to do exploits. Dear reader, is this an hour of distress with you? then ask for peculiar help. Jesus is the angel of the covenant, and if his presence be now earnestly sought, it will not be denied. What that presence brings in heart-cheer those remember who, like Paul, have had the angel of God standing by them in a night of storm, when anchors would no longer hold, and rocks were nigh.
“O angel of my God, be near,
Amid the darkness hush my fear;
Loud roars the wild tempestuous sea,
Thy presence, Lord, shall comfort me.”