「我們曉得萬事都互相效力,叫愛神的人得益處。」(聖經羅馬書八章 28 節)
使徒保羅所說的範圍何其廣闊!他不是說「我們曉得有幾件事」,或者「多數的事」,或者「快樂的事」,他乃是說「萬事」。
「萬事都互相效力」 ── 它們「正在互相效力」;並不是「已經互相效力」,或者「將要互相效力」;這裡所用的動詞是現在式。
恐怕這時有人要說:「耶和華阿....你的判斷,如同深淵」(聖經詩篇三十六篇 6 節);可是天使在天上答應說:「耶和華在祂一切所行的,無不公義,在祂一切所作的,都有慈愛。」(聖經詩篇一四五篇 17 節)
「萬事都互相效力。」所以不悅目的黑色和灰色也是必須的;有了它,才可以使你的圖畫美麗。悲音和哀調是必須的;有了它們,才可以使你的音樂動聽。尖銳的齒輪是必須的;有了它們,才可以使你的機器活動。
今天我們所學的信心的課程乃是:「我所作的,你如今不知道,後來必明白。」(聖經約翰福音十三章 7 節) ── 馬克特夫(Macduff)
在一千件試煉中,並不是五百件是叫愛神的人得益處的;乃是九百九十九件,加上一件,能叫愛神的人得益處。── 莫勒(George Muller)
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"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." (Rom. 8:28)
HOW wide is this assertion of the Apostle Paul! He does not say, "We know that some things," or "most things," or "joyous things," but "ALL things." From the minutest to the most momentous; from the humblest event in daily providence to the great crisishours in grace.
And all things "work"─they are working; not all things have worked, or shall work; but it is a present operation.
At this very moment, when some voice may be saying, "Thy judgments are a great deep," the angels above, who are watching the development of the great plan, are with folded wings exclaiming, "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." (Psa. 145:17.)
And then all things "work together." It is a beautiful blending. Many different colors, in themselves raw and unsightly, are required in order to weave the harmonious pattern.
Many separate tones and notes of music, even discords and dissonances, are required to make up the harmonious anthem.
Many separate wheels and joints are required to make the piece of machinery. Take a thread separately, or a note separately, or a wheel or a tooth of a wheel separately, and there may be neither use nor beauty discernible.
But complete the web, combine the notes, put together the separate parts of steel and iron, and you see how perfect and symmetrical is the result. Here is the lesson for faith: "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." --- Macduff.
In one thousand trials it is not five hundred of them that work for the believer's good, but nine hundred and ninety-nine of them, and one beside. --- George Mueller.
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