耶稣教导我们祷告说:“愿你的国降临,”祂又教导我们另一句与此有关的祷文:“愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上”(马太福音 6:10)。
之前我们已经留意到,有时我们不能肯定我们的祈求是否符合神的旨意,又当我们说“… 如果是你的旨意”时,我们可能觉得我们的信心似乎不足够。
神的旨意虽然极为奥妙,但它同时也是非常可靠的;我们祷告说:“愿你的旨意成就,”并不是说我们完全明白神的旨意,这句祷文主是要表达我们渴望遵行神的旨意,它代表我们祷告时坚定的信心,它也表示我们相信神的旨意是美善的,并且深信衪必定会成就祂的计划。不要忘记,按照神的旨意祷告,就是效法耶稣的榜样(参看九月六日的灵修默想)。
今天的经文显示,就是耶稣也犹豫是否愿意顺服祂父的旨意,经过在祷告中的挣扎,耶稣终于能够坚定地说:“起来,我们走吧!看哪,卖我的人近了!”祂与父神的谈话,就是祂能力的源头。
有一本关于祷告的书,是我很欣赏的,这本书的书名是降服(Yielding),这个名字很有意思。顺服神不是懦弱的表现,降服在神的旨意下才是我们得力的途径。
主啊,祢的旨意有时似乎复杂难明,求祢引导我们像耶稣那样祷告,又帮助我们信靠祢、爱祢、和服从祢。愿祢的旨意在我们生命中得成就。阿们。
马太福音 26: 36-46
36 耶稣同门徒来到一个地方,名叫客西马尼,就对他们说:“你们坐在这里,等我到那边去祷告。”
37 于是带着彼得和西庇太的两个儿子同去,就忧愁起来,极其难过,
38 便对他们说:“我心里甚是忧伤,几乎要死。你们在这里等候,和我一同警醒。”
39 他就稍往前走,俯伏在地,祷告说:“我父啊!倘若可行,求你叫这杯离开我!然而,不要照我的意思,只要照你的意思。”
40 来到门徒那里,见他们睡着了,就对彼得说:“怎么样,你们不能同我警醒片时吗?
41 总要警醒祷告,免得入了迷惑。你们心灵固然愿意,肉体却软弱了。”
42 第二次又去祷告说:“我父啊!这杯若不能离开我,必要我喝,就愿你的意旨成全!”
43 又来,见他们睡着了,因为他们的眼睛困倦。
44 耶稣又离开他们去了。第三次祷告,说的话还是与先前一样。
45 于是来到门徒那里,对他们说:“现在你们仍然睡觉安歇吧!时候到了,人子被卖在罪人手里了。
46 起来,我们走吧!看哪,卖我的人近了!”
"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." — Matthew 26:39
In connection with praying "Your kingdom come," Jesus taught us to say, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
As we have noted earlier, we can sometimes feel uncertain whether the things we pray for are in line with God's will. Or perhaps we might think that our confidence is somehow diminished if we say, ". . . if it be your will" as we pray.
While God's will is deeply mysterious, there is also something very reassuring about it. Praying "your will be done" does not mean we fully understand God's will. This is mostly a prayer that expresses our desire to do God's will. And that is a prayer of strong conviction. It conveys our trust in the goodness of God's will and our assurance that God will carry out his purposes. And, remember, praying within God's will is about following Jesus' example (see Sept. 6).
Today's Bible reading shows that even Jesus wrestled with his Father's will and submitted to it. The result of that prayerful struggle was that Jesus could say with firm resolve, "Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" His connection with the Father was the source of his strength.
A book about prayer that I have grown to appreciate has an interesting title. It's called Yielding. There is nothing weak about submitting to God. Yielding to God's will is the very thing that strengthens us.
Lord, sometimes your will seems confusing; guide us to pray like Jesus. Help us to trust you, love you, and obey you. May your will be done in our lives. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳