不懈的祷告
谁会在午夜敲邻居的门，向他要三个饼呢？也许更好的问题是：路加为什么要把这个故事放在他的福音书中呢？
我们可能对中东世界不熟悉，但耶稣所讲的故事都是符合祂那个时代背景的，每一个听众都知道祂故事中的意思。耶稣想要每个人透过聆听和观看祂，来认识神的好客本性。
在新约的背景中，好客是十分重要的，好客使人不介意其中带来许多的不便。耶稣举的这个例子是人人皆知、经常发生的。晚上任何时间都可能出现不速之客，因为晚上没有烈日的暴晒，是旅客更多出动的时候。所以，那在午夜麻烦邻居要饼的朋友，并没有提出不寻常的请求。
耶稣的话对那些在祷告上受挫的人来说很有意义，他们有时感到，他们常感觉他们的祷告就像蒸发到稀薄的空气中，不见结果。然而耶稣清楚解释说，神不会和自己的信实相违背。我们应该持续祷告，我们所信靠的神会满有恩慈和慷慨地供应我们的所需。
耶稣赞同不住地祷告。我们要“不住地祷告...因为这是神...向我们所定的旨意。”（帖撒罗尼迦前书5:17-18）
主耶稣，我们敲门，并信靠门会打开。感谢祢今天慇勤满足我们的需要。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
路加福音 11:5-13
5 耶稣又说：“你们中间谁有一个朋友半夜到他那里去，说：‘朋友，请借给我三个饼，
6 因为我有一个朋友行路，来到我这里，我没有什么给他摆上。’
7 那人在里面回答说：‘不要搅扰我，门已经关闭，孩子们也同我在床上了，我不能起来给你。’
8 我告诉你们：虽不因他是朋友起来给他，但因他情词迫切地直求，就必起来照他所需用的给他。
9 我又告诉你们：你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门。
10 因为凡祈求的，就得着；寻找的，就寻见；叩门的，就给他开门。
11 你们中间做父亲的，谁有儿子求饼，反给他石头呢？求鱼，反拿蛇当鱼给他呢？
12 求鸡蛋，反给他蝎子呢？
13 你们虽然不好，尚且知道拿好东西给儿女，何况天父，岂不更将圣灵给求他的人吗？”
Persistent Prayer
“Even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” - Luke 11:8
Who would knock on their neighbor’s door at midnight and ask for three loaves of bread? Maybe a better question: Why did Luke put this story in his gospel account?
We may not be familiar with the Middle Eastern world, but Jesus told stories that fit the context of his times. Everyone who was listening knew what he was getting at in his stories. Jesus wanted to let everyone know about the hospitality of God by listening to and watching him.
In the New Testament context, hospitality meant everything. Hospitality trumped inconvenience. Jesus gave an example that everyone knew happened quite often. Unexpected guests showed up at all times of the night because travel was easier when the hot sun was not beating down. So the friend who troubled his neighbor at midnight for bread was not asking something so unusual.
Jesus’ words make sense to people who become frustrated that their prayers seem to evaporate into thin air and get no results. Jesus makes clear, however, that God will not violate his integrity. We are to keep on praying and trusting that God will graciously and generously supply what we need.
Jesus endorsed persistent prayer. We are to “pray continually... for this is God’s will” for us (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
Master Jesus, I will knock, trusting that the door is open. Thank you for your hospitality that meets my needs today. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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