December 27 / Iron Saints / Ps 105:18 / Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman

December 27 Iron Saints

His soul entered into iron — Ps 105:18

Turn that about and render it in our language, and it reads thus, “Iron entered his soul.” Is there not a truth in this? That sorrow and privation, the yoke borne in the youth, the soul’s enforced restraint, are all conducive to an iron tenacity and strength of purpose, and endurance or fortitude, which are the indispensable foundation and framework of a noble character.

Do not flinch from suffering; bear it silently, patiently, resignedly; and be sure that it is God’s way of infusing iron into your spiritual life. The world wants iron dukes, iron battalions, iron sinews, and thews of steel. God wants iron saints; and since there is no way of imparting iron to the moral nature but by letting people suffer, He lets them suffer.

Are the best years of your life slipping away in enforced monotony? Are you beset by opposition, misunderstanding, and scorn, as the thick undergrowth besets the passage of the woodsman pioneer? Then take heart; the time is not wasted; God is only putting you through the iron regimen. The iron crown of suffering precedes the golden crown of glory. And iron is entering into your soul to make it strong and brave. — F. B. Meyer

“But you will not mind the roughness nor the steepness of the way,

Nor the chill, unrested morning, nor the searness of the day;

And you will not take a turning to the left or the right,

But go straight ahead, nor tremble at the coming of the night,

For the road leads home.”12월 27일 시편 105:18 그의 발은 차꼬를 차고 그의 몸은 쇠사슬에 매였으니

슬픔과 상실의 쇠사슬이 목에 매였습니다. 젊은이로서 져야 할 짐이 있습니 다. 죄를 붙들고 영혼의 투쟁을 벌입니다. 이 모든 것들이 인내와 용기는 물론 쇠처럼 강인한 목적의식의 함양에 일조합니다. 그리고 이러한 자질이 모여 숭고한 품성을 형성합니다.

고난을 피해 달아나지 말고 묵묵히 받아들이며, 그것이 여러분의 영적인 삶을 쇠처럼 단단하게 하려는 하나님의 방법임을 확신해야 합니다. 세상은 철의 지도자와 철의 군대, 강철로 된 힘줄과 근육을 찾습니다. 그러나 하나님께서는 철의 성도들을 찾으시고, 고난 말고는 당신 백성의 정신력을 길러 줄 방법이 없으니, 고통과 역경을 허락하십니다.

단조롭고 힘들기만 한 일로 꽃 같은 세월 다 지고 맙니까? 다른 이들의 반대와 오해와 비난으로 고통스럽습니까? 그 고통이 끈질긴 잡초처럼 여러분의 발목을 잡아챕니까? 힘내십시오! 하나님께서 여러분을 그분의 철의 군대에 편입시키셨으니, 결코 헛된 시간이 아닙니다. 쇠로 된 고통의 면류관을 써야 후일 영광의 금 면류관을 받습니다. 여러분의 영혼 강하고 튼튼하게 하려 고 목에 쇠칼이며 사슬이 들어옵니다.

길이 험하거나 가파르면 어떠랴,

아침에 춥고 한낮에 더우면 또 어떠랴.

좌로나 우로나 치우치지 않으리.

곧장 앞으로 가며, 밤이 와도 떨지 않으리.

이 길이 집으로 가는 길이니.. ​ 

December 27

Iron Saints

His soul entered into iron — Ps 105:18

Turn that about and render it in our language, and it reads thus, “Iron entered his soul.” Is there not a truth in this? That sorrow and privation, the yoke borne in the youth, the soul’s enforced restraint, are all conducive to an iron tenacity and strength of purpose, and endurance or fortitude, which are the indispensable foundation and framework of a noble character.

Do not flinch from suffering; bear it silently, patiently, resignedly; and be sure that it is God’s way of infusing iron into your spiritual life. The world wants iron dukes, iron battalions, iron sinews, and thews of steel. God wants iron saints; and since there is no way of imparting iron to the moral nature but by letting people suffer, He lets them suffer.

Are the best years of your life slipping away in enforced monotony? Are you beset by opposition, misunderstanding, and scorn, as the thick undergrowth besets the passage of the woodsman pioneer? Then take heart; the time is not wasted; God is only putting you through the iron regimen. The iron crown of suffering precedes the golden crown of glory. And iron is entering into your soul to make it strong and brave. — F. B. Meyer

“But you will not mind the roughness nor the steepness of the way,

Nor the chill, unrested morning, nor the searness of the day;

And you will not take a turning to the left or the right,

But go straight ahead, nor tremble at the coming of the night,

For the road leads home.”