【双语灵修】祷告PRAYER

马太福音6:5-14

“你们祷告的时候，不可像那假冒为善的人，爱站在会堂里和十字路口上祷告，故意叫人看见。我实在告诉你们：他们已经得了他们的赏赐。 你祷告的时候，要进你的内屋，关上门，祷告你在暗中的父，你父在暗中察看，必然报答你。 你们祷告，不可像

外邦人用许多重复话，他们以为话多了必蒙垂听。 你们不可效法他们，因为你们没有祈求以先，你们所需用的，你们的父早已知道了。

“所以，你们祷告要这样说：‘我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣， 愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。 我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。 免我们的债，如同我们免了人的债。 不叫我们遇见试探，救我们脱离凶恶[a]。因为国度、权柄、荣耀，全是你的，直到永远。阿们。[b]’ 你们饶恕人的过犯，你们的天父也必饶恕你们的过犯。

10月26日

祷告

要常常喜乐，不住地祷告，凡事谢恩；因为这是神在基督耶稣里向你们所定的旨意。(帖撒罗尼迦前书5:16-18)

作为大学校牧，几乎每天都会有人请求我代祷。大多数学生在与我一同祷告或接受代祷时，都会表达感激。我常常发现，当我们结束祷告时，他们已泪流满面。

但祷告究竟是什么？它除了让我们感觉好些之外，真的还有其他作用吗？

赞美诗作者詹姆斯·蒙哥马利（1771-1854）曾写道：

祈祷是灵魂深处至诚的渴盼， 或宣之于口，或缄默无言—— 如幽火暗燃，在胸膛轻颤。

祈祷是叹息的沉郁，是泪落的轻痕， 当举世无踪唯神在际，那一眼仰视的虔诚。

我们究竟为何祈祷？我们藉着祈祷向神表达感恩，这是重要的一部分，感谢祂创造、救赎并维系着我们。这是我们献给神的“善行”之首。

神并不期待祂的儿女用华丽的辞藻祷告。祂不寻求那些遵循固定模式的关键词句。神只希望我们发自内心地祈祷，承认祂是独一的真神，不将荣耀归给别神。神要我们怀着谦卑来到祂面前，表明我们在生命、气息和一切美善之事上都仰赖于祂。当我们以这样的方式亲近神时，祂应许必垂听我们的祷告，并以超乎我们所求所想的方式回应。

祷告

天父，我们带着赞美与敬拜来到你面前。感谢你对我们奇妙的爱与看顾。愿我们的生命成为向你献上的祈祷，不断地表达感恩。阿们。

Matthew 6:5-14

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26

PRAYER

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In my work as a college chaplain there is rarely a day when I am not asked to pray. Most students also express gratitude when I pray with them and for them. I often find they are crying when we finish praying.

But what is prayer? And does it do anything more than make us feel better?

A hymn writer, James Montgomery (1771-1854), wrote:

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,

uttered or unexpressed,

the motion of a hidden fire

that trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

the falling of a tear,

the upward glancing of an eye

when none but God is near.

Why pray? It is the most important part of our gratitude to God for creating, redeeming, and sustaining us. It’s at the top of our “good works” we offer to God.

God is not looking for fancy prayers from his children. He is not looking for key words and phrases that follow formulas. God simply wants us to pray from the heart, acknowledging that he is the one true God who will not share his glory with another. God wants us to come to him with humility, expressing our reliance on him for life and breath and every good thing.

When we come to God in this way, he promises to hear our prayers and to answer them in ways that are often better than we could imagine.

Father, we come to you with praise and adoration. Thank you for your amazing love and care for us. May our lives be a never-ending prayer of gratitude to you. Amen.