奉祂的名
經文: 「向來你們沒有奉我的名求什麼,如今你們求就必得著,叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。」(約16:24)
當美國在南北內戰時期,有一人的獨生子加入聯邦方面的軍隊作戰,父親是銀行家,他雖同意兒子投軍,但父子分離,他心中終覺得黯然自傷。
他開始對年輕的軍人發生深摯的關懷,每當看到穿軍服的人,他的心就因爲想到自己的兒子而要跳出胸膛。他神不守舍,疏忽業務,把錢財用去照顧回鄉的殘廢軍人。他的親友從旁規勸,說他不應該荒廢事業,不該爲軍人花費那麽多的心思,他聽了勸諫,於是決心改變方針。
當他如此決定之後,有一天,有個士兵走進銀行來,軍服破爛不堪,臉上和手上都有醫療過的傷痕。
那可憐的士兵手忙腳亂地想從口袋裏掏出什麽東西來,銀行家看見了,猜知他的目的,就對他說:
「孩子,今天我實在忙不過來,沒有辦法接待你。你應該到你們的司令部去;那兒有軍官會照顧你。」
那個士兵仍舊站著不動,好像不大明白對他說的話。仍舊在口袋裏摸索,不久掏出一張肮髒的字條,上面有幾行鉛筆字,他把這張污穢的字條放在銀行家的面前,上面寫的是:
「親愛的父親:這是我的戰友之一,他在上次戰役中負傷,進過醫院,請你接待他像接待我一樣。查理。」
銀行家頓時打消了原來準備採取漠視態度的決定,他把那孩子帶到豪華的家裏,讓他住在他兒子查理的房間,用餐時坐在查理的位置,留住他直到飲食休息和愛護使他恢復了健康,然後再送他到前方爲國效命。
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In His Name
Scripture: "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).
During the Civil War, a man had an only son who enlisted in the armies of the Union. The father was a banker and, although he consented to his son s going, it seemed as if it would break his heart to let him go.
He became deeply interested in the soldier boys, and whenever he saw a uniform, his heart went out as he thought of his own dear boy. He spent his time, neglected his business, gave his money to caring for the soldiers who came home invalid. His friends remonstrated with him, saying he had no right to neglect his business and spend so much thought upon the soldiers, so he fully decided to give it all up.
After he had come to this decision, there stepped into his bank one day a private soldier in a faded, worn uniform, who showed in his face and hands the marks of the hospital.
The poor fellow was fumbling in his pocket to get something or other, when the banker saw him and, perceiving his purpose, said to him:
"My dear fellow, I cannot do anything for you today. I am extremely busy. You will have to go to your headquarters; the officers there will look after you."
Still the poor convalescent stood, not seeming to fully understand what was said to him. Still he fumbled in his pockets and, by and by, drew out a scrap of dirty paper, on which there were a few lines written with a pencil, and laid this soiled sheet before the banker. On it he found these words:
"Dear Father: "This is one of my comrades who was wounded in the last fight, and has been in the hospital. Please receive him as myself. --Charlie."
In a moment all the resolutions of indifference which this man made, flew away. He took the boy to his palatial home, put him in Charlie s room, gave him Charlie s seat at the table, kept him until food and rest and love had brought him back to health, and then sent him back again to imperil his life for the flag. --Selected
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