双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：11月19日 雾中之信

11月19日

雾中之信

这些人都是因信得了美好的证据，却仍未得着所应许的；因为神给我们预备了更美的事，叫他们若不与我们同得，就不能完全。

希伯来书11:39-40

他们披着羊皮各处奔跑，受穷乏，患难，苦害。他们肯定一次又一次地呼求上帝差遣大能的天使来帮助他们。但是，救拔的天使没来，他们忍受苦难，就像没有上帝一样。

为什么呢？我们找到了一个线索，就是当我们的主面临髑髅地，他祷告说：“倘若可行，求你叫这杯离开我”（马太福音26:39），但接着又说：“然而不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思。”（路加福音22:42）。

在这些伟大圣徒的苦难和死亡中，他们的身体没有得到拯救，而上帝有一个奇妙的计划，并在执行祂的旨意。他们知道了这一点，就因信受苦而死。希伯来书十一章的后半部分指出，那些祷告没有得到明显帮助的人，将在天国得到更大的奖赏，因为他们单凭“信心”忍受了苦难。但在死后，他们确实得享受天使的服事，天使护送他们不死的灵魂到神的宝座前。如果希伯来书十一章的第一部分被称为“上帝的名人堂”，那么第二部分应被称为“上帝的荣誉勋章得主”。

有一次，我经历了一段黑暗时期，我祷告了再祷告，但天堂却毫无反应。我感觉上帝似乎不存在了，我独自面对试炼和重担。那是我灵魂里的黑夜。我写信告诉我母亲这次经历，我永远不会忘记她给我的回信：“儿子啊，上帝有很多次退出来试炼你的信心。他要你在黑暗中信靠祂。现在，儿子啊，凭信心在迷雾中伸出手来，你会发现祂的手就在那里。”我泪流满面地跪在床边，强烈感受到了上帝的同在。无论我们是否觉得圣灵或天使的存在，凭着信，我们确信上帝永远不会离开我们，也不会丢弃我们。

今日祷告：

天父，我信靠祢。耶稣说祂永远和我们同在，直到世界的末了。我相信无论发生什么事，祢都与我同在，因为万事都为祢的益处，为祢的荣耀；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

November 19

FAITH IN THE FOG

And all these,though well attested by their faith,did not receive what was promised,since God had foreseen something better for us,that apart from us they should not be made perfect.Hebrews 11:39-40.RSV

They wandered about in goatskins,being destitute,afflicted,and tormented.Time after time they must have called on God to send His mighty angels to help.No delivering angel came.They suffered and endured almost as though there were no God.

Why?We find a clue when our Lord faced Calvary as He prayed,“If it be possible,let this cup pass from me”(Matthew 26:39)but then He added,“Nevertheless not my will,but thine be done”(Luke 22:42).In the sufferings and death of these great saints not physically delivered,God had a mysterious plan,and was performing His will.Knowing this,they suffered and died by faith.The latter part of Hebrews 11 indicates that those who received no visible help in answer to prayer will have a far greater heavenly reward because they endured by“faith”alone.But having died,they did enjoy the ministry of angels who then escorted their immortal souls to the throne of God.If the first part of Hebrews 11 is called“God’s Hall of Fame,”the second should be called,“God’s Winners of the Medal of Honor.”

Once when I was going through a dark period I prayed and prayed,but the heavens seemed to be brass.I felt as though God had disappeared and that I was all alone with my trial and burden.It was a dark night for my soul.I wrote to my mother about the experience and will never forget her reply:“Son,there are many times when God withdraws to test your faith.He wants you to trust Him in the darkness.Now,Son,reach up by faith in the fog and you will find that His hand will be there.“In tears I knelt by my bed and experienced an overwhelming sense of God’s presence.Whether or not we sense and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit or one of the holy angels,by faith we are certain God will never leave us nor forsake us.

Pray for the Day:

Father,I trust You.Jesus said He is with us always,to the end of the age.I trust that You are with me no matter what happens,because all things work for Your good,for Your glory;in Jesus’Name,Amen.