二月二十日
那安慰丧气之人的神……（林后7:6）
谁能像神那样能安慰人呢？我们去看一位可怜，忧郁、愁苦的神的孩子，把甜美的应许告诉他，俯在他的耳上轻声说出安慰的话；他真像一条耳聋的大蛇，听而不闻，也不理会那安慰他的人。他饱尝苦胆和茵蔯的滋味，无论你如何安慰他，他只是向你发出一两声叹息；你不能使他唱出赞美诗、哈利路亚或是快乐的乐章。但让神来到他的孩子那里，让他照着他的面容，那忧苦人的眼睛就必发出希望的光芒。你能听见他的歌声吗？“有你就是乐园，无你便是地狱。”你不能使他高兴，但神能，他是“赐各样安慰的神”。基列并无乳香，乳香乃在神那里（耶8:22）。世上并无医生，但造物主是医治我们的耶和华路非（Jehovahrophi耶和华是医治我的）。神一句甜蜜的话就可成为基督徒整个诗歌，这是一件很稀奇的事。神的一句话就像一块黄金一样，基督徒乃是锤金人，要下功夫才能把神的应许锤出来。所以，可怜的基督徒呀！你不要失望地呆坐在那里，就到那安慰者面前，求他给你安慰。你是一口枯干的井。你曾看到过一口机器井吗？当帮浦干了，打不上水来的时候，你必须先倒下一点水去，然后才能汲上水来。基督徒呀！你也是这样，当你枯干的时候，就到神那里，让他的喜乐浇在你的心中，那末你的喜乐就必满溢。不要找世上的知友，他们至终必像安慰约伯的朋友一样。你要先来到“那安慰丧气之人的神”那里，你就会说：“我心里多忧多疑，你安慰我，就使我欢乐。”
February
20
“God,
that comforteth those that are cast down.” –2 Corinthians 7:6
And who comforteth like Him? Go to some
poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper
in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not
to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and
wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful
resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms of
praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to His child, let
Him lift up his countenance, and the mourner’s eyes glisten with hope. Do you
not hear him sing–
“‘Tis paradise, if thou art here;
If thou depart, ’tis hell?”
You could not have cheered him: but the Lord has done it; “He is
the God of all comfort.” There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in
God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is
Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs
for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is
the goldbeater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor
Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask
Him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said,
that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you
will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask Him to
shed abroad His joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to
earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all; but
go first and foremost to thy “God, that comforteth those that are cast
down,” and you will soon say, “In the multitude of my thoughts within
me Thy comforts delight my soul.”
