雷和苏菲是对宣教士夫妻，在非洲西部服事了四十多年。后来苏菲年纪大了，身体不听使唤。这位基督的仆人，过去身强力壮，推动事工，压力再大都不怕；但现在，却一下子就没了力气，连自己扣衣服、拿杯水喝的力气都没有。可是她却没有怨恨，也不顾影自怜。在全然无力之时，她都在心里默默提醒自己：「正因为如此，你才要有耶稣啊！」

千百年前，以色列的先知以赛亚心忧如焚，天父就把我们今天也同样需要的信息，赐给了他，安慰他说：「雅各家、以色列家一切余剩的要听我言：『你们自从生下，就蒙我保抱；自从出胎，便蒙我怀搋。直到你们年老，我仍这样；直到你们发白，我仍怀搋。我已造作，也必保抱；我必怀抱，也必拯救。」（以赛亚书46章3-4节）

这幅上帝恩典的图画，是何等激励人心啊！它让人想到那位好牧人，抱起了无助的羊羔。所以，不分年纪老少，我们都可以让上帝把我们抱在怀里；无论是软弱还是重担，我们都可以倚靠他永恒的怀抱，并告诉自己：「正因为如此，我才要有耶稣啊！」VCG

仁爱君王，是我善牧；
他施恩惠，永不断绝；
我若归他，必不缺乏；
他必属我，我必属他。Baker

放心安歇耶稣怀中，因他必不会让你失望。

February 22, 2008

Carried In His Strong Arms

I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. —Isaiah 46:4

Missionary couple Ray and Sophie de le Haye served heroically in West Africa for more than 40 years. As she grew older, Sophie suffered from the loss of all motor control of her body. That once-strong servant of Christ, who had carried on a ministry of unimaginable stress, was suddenly reduced to helplessness, unable to button her clothes or lift a cup of water to her lips. But she refused to become bitter or self-pitying. In her moments of utter weakness, she would quietly remind herself, “For this you have Jesus.”

Many centuries ago our heavenly Father gave a reassuring message to a burdened prophet of Israel—a message that we need today: “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, . . . who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isa. 46:3-4).

What an encouraging picture of divine grace! It calls to mind the Good Shepherd bearing a helpless lamb. Whether young or old, we can learn to let God carry us. Weak and burdened, we can lean on His everlasting arms and remind ourselves, “For this I have Jesus.”  — Vernon C. Grounds

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.  —Baker

You can rest in the arms of Jesus—He’ll never let you down.