常在我里面

“‘我是葡萄树，你们是枝子；常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子。因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。’” - 约15:5

我认为这和祷告有很大关系。我在教会长大，我记得当我年幼时，总是觉得祷告似乎很沉闷。当牧师在作听来很冗长的祷告时，我们都紧握双手、闭上眼晴和垂下头来。然而在我渐渐长大和耶稣对我来说较为真实时，我的祷告生活便开始改变了。

合上双手和闭上眼晴的祈祷姿势是完全没有问题的——有时我仍然会采用这个姿势来集中注意力的。然而当我的信心渐长，祷告不仅是我拨出时间与神一起那么简单。我不但学会了赞美神和把我的祈求带到祂面前，我更学会拨出时间读圣经和聆听圣灵向我说些什么。

我发觉当我设法确保我会拨出时间在祷告中与耶稣交通时，我变得更有耐性——纵使要面对生命中的挑战时也能这样。在有太多事情要处理的日子，我多数能以较为和善和不冲动的态度来回应朋友及家人。我也比较愿意拨出时间与路过的邻居交谈，而我也可能会多去寻求和回应圣灵的敦促。

主啊，藉着祷告我们可以与你一起相聚，我们感谢你。求你帮助我们特意拨出时间与你相聚，好让你的慈爱和恩典改变我们，叫我们更像你。阿们。

1“我是真葡萄树，我父是栽培的人。
2凡属我不结果子的枝子，他就剪去；凡结果子的，他就修理干净，使枝子结果子更多。
3现在你们因我讲给你们的道，已经干净了。
4你们要常在我里面，我也常在你们里面。枝子若不常在葡萄树上，自己就不能结果子；你们若不常在我里面，也是这样。
5我是葡萄树，你们是枝子。常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。
6人若不常在我里面，就像枝子丢在外面枯干，人拾起来扔在火里烧了。
7你们若常在我里面，我的话也常在你们里面，凡你们所愿意的，祈求，就给你们成就。
8你们多结果子，我父就因此得荣耀，你们也就是我的门徒了。

Remain in Me

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

英语音频 English Audio

How do we "remain" in Jesus?

I think it has a lot to do with prayer. I grew up in the church, and I remember that when I was young, prayer always seemed boring. We clasped our hands, closed our eyes, and bowed our heads as the pastor prayed for what seemed a long, long time. But as I grew older and Jesus became more real to me, my prayer life started to change.

There's nothing wrong with the posture of folding your hands and closing your eyes—I still sometimes take that posture to concentrate. But as I grew in faith, prayer became much more about spending time with God. I not only learned to praise God and lift up my requests to him; I also learned to spend time reading the Bible and listening for what the Spirit had to say.

I've found that when I make sure to spend time with Jesus in prayer, I'm a much more patient person—even in the midst of life's challenges. On days when there is too much to do, I'm more likely to be kinder and slower in my responses to family and friends. I'm also more likely to take time for a conversation with a neighbor who passes by. And I'm more likely to look for and respond to the Holy Spirit's promptings.

Prayer

Lord, thank you that we're able to spend time in your presence through prayer. Help us to be intentional about spending time with you so that your love and grace can transform us to become more like you. Amen.