预备好去祷告
祷告之所以存在，是因为神愿意与你建立关系，这就是祷告奇妙的地方了。祷告是以神感动你的心去寻求祂的心意开始的，我们不会主动祷告，神才是主动者；意思是说，我们的祷告，必然是我们对神的敦促的回应。
今天经文中的景象，美妙地描绘了这个事实。藉着敲叩我们的心门，主邀请我们来享受与祂那段深厚和永恒的友谊；倘若耶稣没有叩门，我们是永远不会知道祂正站在我们的门前的。
祷告是对神采取主动的回应，这个事实给与我们很大的确据，然而，这个事实也应该激发我们，如果可能的话，在真正开始祷告之前，用一点时间来预备一下；预备的时间不需要长，称颂神的恩典是一个好的开始，因为祂的恩典是祷告的根基。在开声祷告之前，我们应先聆听神呼唤我们的声音；在敲叩神的门之前，我们应先聆听神的敲门声；预备祷告时，我们以感恩的心承认，我们将要做的事，是发自神的心意的。
所以，在祷告之前，你当在这个奥秘之前屈膝，又品尝主的恩典和慈爱，然后才打开心门祷告。
主神啊，多少时候，我们往往未能领悟到祷告是何等奇妙的赐与，便匆忙地开始祷告。主啊，求祢叫我放慢步伐，在我到你面前祷告时，让我感受到祢的恩典和慈爱。阿们。
启示录 3:14-22
14“你要写信给老底嘉教会的使者，说：‘那为阿们的，为诚信真实见证的，在神创造万物之上为元首的，说：
15我知道你的行为，你也不冷也不热；我巴不得你或冷或热。
16你既如温水，也不冷也不热，所以我必从我口中把你吐出去。
17你说：我是富足，已经发了财，一样都不缺；却不知道你是那困苦、可怜、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身的。
18我劝你向我买火炼的金子，叫你富足；又买白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞耻不露出来；又买眼药擦你的眼睛，使你能看见。
19凡我所疼爱的，我就责备管教他；所以你要发热心，也要悔改。
20看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我一同坐席。
21得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐，就如我得了胜，在我父的宝座上与他同坐一般。
22圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听！’”
Preparing To Pray
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. . . ." — Revelation 3:20
Here is the amazing reality of prayer: It exists because God wants to have a relationship with you. Prayer begins with God moving your heart to seek his heart. We don't initiate prayer; God does. This means that our prayers are always responses to God's promptings.
The scene in today's Bible reading portrays this fact beautifully. By knocking on the door to our hearts, the Lord invites us to enjoy a deep, lasting friendship with him. We would never have known that Jesus was at our doorstep without his knocking at the door.
The fact that prayer is a response to God's initiatives is reassuring. But this should also motivate us, when possible, to spend time preparing to pray before actually doing it. It need not be long, but some recognition of God's grace, the ground of all prayer, is a good way to begin. Before we speak, we should listen to the voice that calls to us. Before knocking on God's door, we should hear God knocking on ours. When we prepare to pray, we gratefully acknowledge that what we are about to do has originated in the heart of God.
So before you pray, bow before its mystery. Savor the Lord's grace and love. Then open the door.
Lord God, how often I rush into prayer without realizing what an incredible gift it is. Slow me down, Lord. Make me aware of your grace and love as I come to you in prayer. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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