在《哈克贝利·费恩历险记》一书中，主人公哈克Huck，正如他的名字一样，需要一些鱼钩hook。有人告诉他上帝总是回应祷告，所以哈克费恩为鱼钩祷告了三天。但他什么也没有收到。所以他总结说：“什么也没有。”
雅各告诉我们，义人的祈祷大有功效。耶稣说我们奉祂的名，无论求什么，就必得着。以赛亚书65:24告诉我们，我们还未呼求的时候，神已经应允了。然而，我们似乎有很多祷告并没有蒙应允。我们祈求医治，医治没有发生。我们祈求出路，一扇又一扇的门却砰然关上。我们恳求神帮助我们胜过成瘾行为，却没有任何改变。
神真的回应祷告吗？当然回应。
但神回应祷告并不意味着我们能得到想要的一切。 神应许我们，当我们按着神的旨意为自己和世界祈求时，祂就会应允我们所求的（约一 5:14-15）。
我们祷告，是为了与神相交，表达我们对神的感谢，感谢祂为我们成就的一切。祷告是我们与主沟通的途径。祂垂听我们一切祈祷，并按着我们的需要和祂的旨意来回应。
主啊，感谢你垂听和回应我们的祷告。帮助我们明白，你知道我们的一切需要，并按着我们的需要回应我们的祷告。阿们。
雅各书 5:13-20
13你们中间有受苦的呢，他就该祷告；有喜乐的呢，他就该歌颂。
14你们中间有病了的呢，他就该请教会的长老来，他们可以奉主的名用油抹他，为他祷告。
15出于信心的祈祷要救那病人，主必叫他起来；他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免。
16所以你们要彼此认罪，互相代求，使你们可以得医治。义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。
17以利亚与我们是一样性情的人，他恳切祷告，求不要下雨，雨就三年零六个月不下在地上；
18他又祷告，天就降下雨来，地也生出土产。
19我的弟兄们，你们中间若有失迷真道的，有人使他回转，
20这人该知道叫一个罪人从迷路上转回，便是救一个灵魂不死，并且遮盖许多的罪。
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. . . ." - James 5:16
In the book Huckleberry Finn, the main character—Huck, as he was called—needed fishhooks. Someone had told him that God always answers prayers, so for three days Huck Finn prayed for fishhooks. But he received none. So he concluded: “There ain’t nothing in it.”
James tells us that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. Jesus said that if we ask anything in his name, he will do it. In Isaiah 65:24 we’re told that God answers before we even call on him. And yet there seem to be so many unanswered prayers. We pray for healing, but healing doesn’t happen. We ask for open doors, but one door after another slams shut. We plead with God to help us overcome an addiction, but there’s no change.
Does God answer prayer? Of course he does.
But prayer is not meant to give us anything we might want. God promises to give what we ask for when we ask in line with his will for our lives and for his world (1 John 5:14-15).
We pray in order to connect with God and to share how thankful we are for who he is and all he has done for us. Praying is our communication line with the Lord. He hears all our prayers and answers them according to our needs and according to his will.
Thank you, Lord, for hearing us and for answering our prayers. Help us to understand that you know exactly what we need, and that you answer our prayers accordingly. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
