祷告的结尾和目的 (The End of Prayer)

作者:每日箴言   来源:普世佳音

“耶和华啊,尊大、能力、荣耀、强胜、威严都是你的,… 国度也是你的 … 。” - 代上 29:11

今天是这个月的最后一天,我们以祷告为主题的探讨,也到了尾声。我想起,end这个英文字可以有两个意思,它可以表示某件事情已经到了结尾,但它也可以指某件事情的主要目的。

现在就让我们思想一下祷告的结尾和目的(the end of prayer)吧。多年来教会一直用来祷告的主祷文,传统上的结尾是“因为国度、权柄、荣耀、全是你的,直到永远。阿们!”这句祷文表达了我们生命的焦点和目标,和我们的生命一样,祷告的目的是叫我们保持以神为中心 ——叫我们的心转向那位首先把衪的心转向我们的神。

大卫在临终时,就是这样祷告的,他承认神是独一的君王,他祈求百姓心里能常常渴望事奉神。他在生命结束时的祷告中,说明我们生命的主要目标应该是为了神的荣耀。

因此,藉着我们的祷告和我们的生命,让我们颂扬神的荣耀;让我们寻求祂国的平安和公义,并因衪的伟大而听命顺服;又让我们祈求神也会使用像我们这样的人,到各地去传扬衪的荣耀,直到祂的国最终降临的日子!

祷告

主啊,“国度、权柄、荣耀、全是你的,直到永远!”感谢祢赐我确据,来带领我的祷告和坚固我的生命。愿我把我整个人都献给祢,从今时至到永远。奉耶稣名祈求,阿们。

 

历代志上 29:10-20

10 所以,大卫在会众面前称颂耶和华说:“耶和华,我们的父以色列的神,是应当称颂直到永永远远的!
11 耶和华啊,尊大、能力、荣耀、强盛、威严都是你的,凡天上地下的都是你的,国度也是你的,并且你为至高,为万有之首。
12 丰富、尊荣都从你而来,你也治理万物。在你手里有大能大力,使人尊大、强盛都出于你。
13 我们的神啊,现在我们称谢你,赞美你荣耀之名。
14 我算什么,我的民算什么,竟能如此乐意奉献?因为万物都从你而来,我们把从你而得的献给你。
15 我们在你面前是客旅,是寄居的,与我们列祖一样。我们在世的日子如影儿,不能长存 。
16 耶和华我们的神啊,我们预备这许多材料要为你的圣名建造殿宇,都是从你而来,都是属你的。
17 我的神啊,我知道你察验人心,喜悦正直。我以正直的心乐意献上这一切物,现在我喜欢见你的民在这里都乐意奉献于你。
18 耶和华我们列祖亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神啊,求你使你的民常存这样的心思意念,坚定他们的心归向你。
19 又求你赐我儿子所罗门诚实的心,遵守你的命令、法度、律例,成就这一切的事,用我所预备的建造殿宇。”
20 大卫对全会众说:“你们应当称颂耶和华你们的神!”于是会众称颂耶和华他们列祖的神,低头拜耶和华与王。  

The End Of Prayer

"Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor.... Yours, LORD, is the kingdom. . . ." — 1 Chronicles 29:11

英语音频 English Audio

Here, at the end of this month, we have reached the end of our reflections on prayer. This reminds me that the word end can have two meanings. It can mean that something has stopped, and it can also refer to a main purpose.

So let's consider the end of prayer. The traditional conclusion to the Lord's Prayer, as prayed by the church for many hundreds of years, goes like this: "for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." This expresses the focus of prayer and the goal of our lives. As in life, the purpose of prayer is to keep us centered on God—to have our heart turned to the One who has first turned his heart toward us.

This is what David prayed for shortly before he died. He acknowledged that God alone is King. He prayed that the desire to serve God would always be found in people's hearts. His prayer at the end of his life conveys what the end—the main purpose—of our lives should be: the glory of God.

So by our prayers and in our lives, let us acknowledge God's glory. Let us seek the peace and justice of his kingdom and submit to God's greatness. Let us pray that God will use even us to spread his glory everywhere until his kingdom has finally come!

Prayer

Lord, "yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever"! Thank you for the assurance that guides my prayer and strengthens my life. May I dedicate my whole being to you, now and forever. In Jesus' name, Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳


发布日期:2018-09-30