我喜欢送给孩子们美好的礼物。不过,如果他们不停地向我缠磨,我可能很快就会厌烦他们的要求。不断的索取很快就会让人觉得不合理。
那为什么神要我们持续地祈求某样事物呢?是因为祂想掌控局面吗?不,神已经掌权了,祂不需要我们来让祂觉得被需要。
不管我们做什么和怎么做,我们都不能哄骗或诱导神回应我们的祷告。但好消息是,我们不需要这样做。
神愿意回应我们,是因为祂爱我们,想要和我们建立关系。我们祷告的时候会意识到神是谁,以及我们对祂的倚赖。神照祂的应许,供应我们所需要的一切。
那么,我们该为何事祷告呢?我们应该为一切需要祷告,最重要的是,我们应该祈求圣灵的同在。有神的灵在我们心中,是神赐给儿女最好的礼物。
所以今天你祷告的时候,不必在神面前卑躬屈膝地乞求。要带着感恩靠近祂,求祂给你所需要的,最重要的是,祈求祂的同在,加添给你力量,并以圣灵来引导你。
主啊,我们赞美和感谢你永远供应和看顾我们。听我们的祷告,差遣你的圣灵来引导我们,加添我们的力量。阿们。
路加福音 11:9-13
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?”
"If you then . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" — Luke 11:13
I love giving good gifts to my children. If they constantly nagged me for things, though, I would probably tire quickly of their demands. Constant demands quickly feel like unreasonable ones.
So why does God want us to keep asking him for things? Is it because he wants to be in control? No. God is already in control, and he doesn't depend on us to make him feel needed.
No matter what we do or how we do it, we can't coax, cajole, or wheedle God into responding to our prayers. But the good news is that we don't need to do that.
God wants to answer us because he loves us and wants to be in relationship with us. When we pray, we acknowledge who God is and that we depend on him. And God supplies us with all that we need, all that he has promised.
So what should we pray for? We should pray for everything we need and, above all, we should ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Having the Spirit of God dwell in our hearts is the greatest gift that God gives to his children.
When you pray today, don't grovel and beg before God. Approach him with thanksgiving and ask for what you need, and above all ask him for the presence, strength, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, we praise and thank you for always providing and caring for us. Hear our prayer, and send us your Spirit to guide and strengthen us today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳