二月六日

多方禱告（弗6:18）

從我們學會禱告起，到現在為止，我們的禱告共有多少了呢！我們開頭的禱告是為我們自己，我們求神向我們施憐憫，塗抹我們的罪。他聽了我們。但當他塗抹我們的罪簡直像吹散一片浮雲一樣時，那末我們就要更加為我們多禱告了。我們要求神賜我們成聖的恩典，自製、自克的恩典；我們要切切求神重新賜我們堅固的信心，好隨意使用他的應許，脫離隨時來到的試探，作我們工作時的幫助，並在我們受試煉時救助我們。我們常被迫到神面前，像無所不討的乞丐一樣，為我們的生命祈求。神的兒女們哪！要作見證，見證你們為自己的生命從別處是一無所獲的。你們生命所需要的糧食都是從天上來的，你們所喝得水都是從活磐——主基督耶穌而來的。你們的生命自己並不能生長，必須天天依靠神的豐富！那末你的禱告就上達天庭求神無限的、各樣屬靈的憐憫。你的需要是無數的，而神所供給你的也是無限的。你的禱告，雖有各式各樣，而神憐憫的種類也是多得不可勝數的。那末你不是就有理說“我愛主，因為曾聽了我們祈求他的聲音”嗎？你的禱告雖多，而神的應允也是一樣地多。在你受患難的時候，雖然因你在施恩座前的戰慄、疑懼而羞辱了神，但他仍聽了你，賜你力量並幫助了你。記住這一句話，讓你的心中充滿感激神的態度吧！因他滿有恩典地聽了你可憐而微弱的禱告：“我的心哪！你要稱頌耶和華，不可忘記他的一切恩惠。”

February 6

"Praying always." --Ephesians 6:18

What multitudes of prayers we have put up from the first moment when we learned to pray. Our first prayer was a prayer for ourselves; we asked that God would have mercy upon us, and blot out our sin. He heard us. But when He had blotted out our sins like a cloud, then we had more prayers for ourselves. We have had to pray for sanctifying grace, for constraining and restraining grace; we have been led to crave for a fresh assurance of faith, for the comfortable application of the promise, for deliverance in the hour of temptation, for help in the time of duty, and for succour in the day of trial. We have been compelled to go to God for our souls, as constant beggars asking for everything. Bear witness, children of God, you have never been able to get anything for your souls elsewhere. All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven, and all the water of which it has drank has flowed from the living rock--Christ Jesus the Lord. Your soul has never grown rich in itself; it has always been a pensioner upon the daily bounty of God; and hence your prayers have ascended to heaven for a range of spiritual mercies all but infinite. Your wants were innumerable, and therefore the supplies have been infinitely great, and your prayers have been as varied as the mercies have been countless. Then have you not cause to say, "I love the Lord, because He hath heard the voice of my supplication"? For as your prayers have been many, so also have been God's answers to them. He has heard you in the day of trouble, has strengthened you, and helped you, even when you dishonoured Him by trembling and doubting at the mercy-seat. Remember this, and let it fill your heart with gratitude to God, who has thus graciously heard your poor weak prayers. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."