【双语灵修】祈求，寻找，叩门 Ask, Seek, Knock

“你们祈求，就给你们…” - 太 7:7

前段时间，我在一家杂货店里找东西，结果没找到。当时一个员工站在旁边大约五英尺远的地方，正在给货架上货。

我有请求他的帮助吗？没有。相反，我转过身去，避免与他目光接触，因为我内心深处不想承认我需要帮助。

也许你也可以讲一个类似的故事。在杂货店这样的小事上很难主动求助，更不用说生活中的重要事情了。

我们不喜欢寻求帮助的原因有很多。但我认为主要原因是我们不想让人觉得我们有难处。我们不希望别人认为我们不够好或不够聪明，无法解决自己的问题。

不幸的是，我们把这种心态带到我们与神的关系中。我们表现得好像我们生活中的一切都取决于我们自己，而不是倚靠神，按照祂的旨意去生活（太 6:10）。

耶稣鼓励我们祈求神——就像孩子求助于父母一样——祈求我们需要的东西。我们可以相信，神爱我们，定要供应我们所需。而且，我们若想遵从神的旨意，也可以按照祂的旨意求各样能建立祂国度的事物。

祷告

天父，请帮助我们在祷告中把我们的需要带到你面前，并相信你的爱和供应。求你引导我们寻求并发现在这世上与你同工的方式，建立你的国度。阿们。

马太福音 7:7-12

7“你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门。8因为凡祈求的，就得着；寻找的，就寻见；叩门的，就给他开门。9你们中间谁有儿子求饼，反给他石头呢？10求鱼，反给他蛇呢？11你们虽然不好，尚且知道拿好东西给儿女，何况你们在天上的父，岂不更把好东西给求他的人吗？12所以，无论何事，你们愿意人怎样待你们，你们也要怎样待人，因为这就是律法和先知的道理。

Ask, Seek, Knock

"Ask and it will be given to you. . . ." - Matthew 7:7

Some time ago I was at a grocery store looking for something, and I could not find it. Meanwhile, an employee stood by, about five feet away, stocking the shelves.

Did I ask for help? No. Instead, I turned the other way to avoid making eye contact, because something inside me didn’t want to admit that I needed help.

Maybe you can tell a similar story. It’s hard to reach out for help with small things like groceries—let alone the important stuff in life.

We don’t like asking for help for a lot of reasons. But I think the main reason is that we don’t want it to seem like there’s something wrong with us. We don’t want others to think that we aren’t good enough or smart enough to solve our own problems.

Unfortunately, we bring this mentality into our relationship with God. We act as if everything in our life depends on us, instead of leaning on God and aiming to live in line with his will (Matthew 6:10).

Jesus encourages us to turn to God—just as a child turns to a parent—and to ask for the things we need. We can trust that God loves us enough to provide. And, wanting to do God’s will, we can also ask for all kinds of things that will build up his kingdom!

Prayer

Father, help us to bring our needs before you in prayer, trusting in your love and provision. And guide us to ask for and find ways to work with you in this world, as you build your kingdom. Amen.