荒漠甘泉 Streams in the Desert
因信得見
經文: 「凡你們禱告祈求的，無論是甚麼，只要信是得著的，就必得著。」（可十一24）
我有一個十歲的孩子，他的祖母應許給他一本郵票簿。可是過了許久，她並沒有給他，也不再提起，這孩子也並不放在心上。可是當他的同伴來看他的禮物時，他一件一件把收到的禮物拿給他們看了之後，總加上一句：
「祖母給我一本郵票簿。」
我聽他說了好幾次，很是希奇！所以我特地叫他到我面前來，問他說：「喬琪，你並沒有從你祖母那裡得到一本郵票簿，你為甚麼常對你的同伴這樣說呢？」
他臉上起了詫異之色，似乎希奇我會發這樣一個問題。他回答說：「媽媽，祖母既應許了，這就等於我已經得著了。」我就不能再說甚麼，免得傷他的信心。
一個月過去了，郵票簿仍是無着落。一天我要試試他的信心，就對他說：
「喬琪，我想組母已經忘了她的應許。」
他很快很堅定地說：「不！媽媽，她絕不會忘記的。」
我望著那親愛的、深信的小臉，看見他現著很正經的樣子，好似要辯服我方纔說的話一般。過了一會兒，他臉上現出喜悅的光彩說道：
「媽媽，你想我好不好現在寫封信去謝謝她的禮物呢？」
我說：「我不替你規定，可是你可以試一試。」
（這時候上帝用光照亮我，給我看見了一段豐富屬靈的眞理。）幾分鐘之內，他已把謝函寫好寄出了。回來的時候，嘴裡還唱著歡樂的歌兒，證明他對祖母的信任。不久回信來了，裡面寫著：
「我所親愛的喬琪：我並沒有忘記我對你的應許──一本郵票本。我想照你合意的樣式去買，可是在本城買不到；所以我就到紐約城去函購。寄到了以後一看，仍舊不對；所以我又到芝加哥去函購了。你所愛的祖母」
他讀完了信，臉上帶著勝利的氣慨，對我說：「媽媽，我不是告訴過你麼？祖母既應許了，這就等於我已經得著了。」他的心裡從來沒有疑惑過，這就是「在無可指望的時候，因信仍有指望。」（羅四18）他深信郵票簿一定會來的，他信他的祖母正在進行，不久信心就變成了事實。
人們常要在上帝的應許上先有眼見，但是我們的主對多馬說，也對那些跟從祂而懷疑的人說：「那沒有看見就信的，有福了。」（約廿29）──讓滋夫人（Mrs. Rounds）
Faith Becomes Sight
Scripture: "Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be" (Mark 11:24).
When my little son was about ten years of age, his grandmother promised him a stamp album for Christmas. Christmas came, but no stamp album, and no word from grandmother. The matter, however, was not mentioned; but when his playmates came to see his Christmas presents, I was astonished, after he had named over this and that as gifts received, to hear him add,
"And a stamp album from grandmother."
I had heard it several times, when I called him to me, and said, "But, Georgie, you did not get an album from your grandmother. Why do you say so?"
There was a wondering look on his face, as if he thought it strange that I should ask such a question, and he replied, "Well, mamma, grandma said, so it is the same as." I could not say a word to check his faith.
A month went by, and nothing was heard from the album. Finally, one day, I said, to test his faith, and really wondering in my heart why the album had not been sent,
"Well, Georgie, I think grandma has forgotten her promise."
"Oh, no, mamma," he quickly and firmly said, "she hasn't."
I watched the dear, trusting face, which, for a while, looked very sober, as if debating the possibilities I had suggested. Finally a bright light passed over it, and he said,
"Mamma, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album?"
"I do not know," I said, "but you might try it."
A rich spiritual truth began to dawn upon me. In a few minutes a letter was prepared and committed to the mail, and he went off whistling his confidence in his grandma. In just a short time a letter came, saying:
"My dear Georgie: I have not forgotten my promise to you, of an album. I tried to get such a book as you desired, but could not get the sort you wanted; so I sent on to New York. It did not get here till after Christmas, and it was still not right, so I sent for another, and as it has not come as yet, I send you three dollars to get one in Chicago. Your loving grandma."
"As he read the letter, his face was the face of a victor. "Now, mamma, didn't I tell you?" came from the depths of a heart that never doubted, that, "against hope, believed in hope" that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, grandma was working, and in due season faith became sight.
It is so human to want sight when we step out on the promises of God, but our Savior said to Thomas, and to the long roll of doubters who have ever since followed him: "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." --Mrs. Rounds
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