Daily Devotion - Nov 19 - ¥q¥¬¯u¨C¤éÆF­×(©]) Evening by Evening

司布真每日靈修(夜) Evening by Evening

十一月十九日

經文: 惟願我能知道在那�可以尋見上帝。（約伯記二十三：3）

約伯遭遇了極大的苦難，他向上帝呼求。上帝的兒女在災難中最大的願望是見上帝的面。他第一個祈求不是：「哦，願我的疾病得醫治」，或甚至求：「哦，但願我的兒女能從死亡中復活，我的財產歸回！」首要的、最迫切的呼求是：「惟願我能知道在那�可以尋見上帝，祂是我的上帝！我能到祂的臺前！」當暴風雨來臨時，上帝的兒女立即奔跑回家。已蒙拯救之靈魂的屬天本能是尋找耶和華的恩翼，來躲避所有災難。以上帝為避難所的人配稱為真正的信徒。假冒為善的人向災難發怨言，逃離主。他帶著尖澀的傲氣說：「我能解決自己的問題！」當其他所有安慰之源枯竭時，約伯要與上帝相交的願望益發增強。他躲開教他更憂傷的朋友，舉目仰望在天的寶座，如同長途跋涉的人拋開已空無一滴水的水壺，向井奔跑。他告別屬世的希望，呼求說：「惟願我能知道在那�可以尋見上帝！」一旦我明白世上一切事物皆為空虛，就能知道造物主的寶貴。當我們發現地上的蜂巢沒有蜜卻滿了螫時，會不屑地離開，轉而在上帝的�面歡欣，祂信實之話語比蜜更甜。每一困難來臨時，我們必須首先認清上帝的同在。我們若能能欣賞祂的笑容，必能甘心樂意天天背起十字架。

Evening, November 19

Scripture: "O that I knew where I might find him!"(Job 23:3)

In Job's uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face. His first prayer is not "O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!" nor even "O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!" but the first and uppermost cry is, "O that I knew where I might find HIM , who is my God! that I might come even to his seat!" God's children run home when the storm comes on. It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul to seek shelter from all ills beneath the wings of Jehovah. "He that hath made his refuge God," might serve as the title of a true believer. A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction, and, like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him; but not so the true heir of heaven, he kisses the hand which smote him, and seeks shelter from the rod in the bosom of the God who frowned upon him. Job's desire to commune with God was intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation. The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends, and looked up to the celestial throne, just as a traveller turns from his empty skin bottle, and betakes himself with all speed to the well. He bids farewell to earth-born hopes, and cries, "O that I knew where I might find my God!" Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator, as when we learn the emptiness of all besides. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey, but many sharp stings, we rejoice in him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble we should first seek to realize God's presence with us. Only let us enjoy his smile, and we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart for his dear sake.

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