2016年2月1日
常常禱告
Always Pray and Don't Give Up
读经: 路加福音18章1-8節
Reading: Luke 18:1-8
耶穌設一個比喻，是要人常常禱告，不可灰心。-路加福音18章1節
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1
全年读经: 出埃及記27-28章;馬太福音21章1-22節
Bible in a Year: Exodus 27–28; Matthew 21: 1-22
你是否正經歷一波未平、一波又起的困境？在夜晚，你感謝上帝事情稍微平息了，但隔天醒來後卻發現，又有地方開始出差錯，問題還是沒有解決。
我也經歷過同樣的困境，那時我正好讀到路加福音18章，讓我感到訝異的是，經文一開始就提到：「耶穌設一個比喻，是要人常常禱告，不可灰心」 （1節） 。寡婦不住地求告法官的比喻，雖已讀過多次，卻總是忽略了耶穌講這個比喻的原因 （2-8節） 。如今我總算可以把這開場白和比喻連接起來，顯然祂是在教導門徒，要常常禱告，不可灰心。
禱告不是強迫上帝照我們的意思去做，而是一個過程，讓我們能認識祂的能力、明白祂的旨意。在禱告中，我們將自己的生命及面對的處境都交託在祂手中，相信上帝會按著祂的時間和方式成就一切。
當我們倚靠上帝的恩典，就能在等待禱告蒙應允的當中，學習完全交託，而且我們也能靠著祂的恩典，不住地到主面前禱告，完全相信祂的智慧和看顧。
主明確地教導我們：常常禱告，不可灰心！
主啊！在我面對今日所遇到的困難時，
求祢保守我心，保守我的言語，賜下祢的恩典。
幫助我在禱告中倚靠祢。
禱告能改變一切。
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Are you going through one of those times when it seems every attempt to resolve a problem is met with a new difficulty? You thank the Lord at night that it's taken care of but awake to find that something else has gone wrong and the problem remains.
During an experience like that, I was reading the gospel of Luke and was astounded by the opening words of chapter 18: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" (v. 1). I had read the story of the persistent widow many times but never grasped why Jesus told it (vv. 2-8). Now I connected those opening words with the story. The lesson to His followers was very clear: "Always pray and never give up."
Prayer is not a means of coercing God to do what we want. It is a process of recognizing His power and plan for our lives. In prayer we yield our lives and circumstances to the Lord and trust Him to act in His time and in His way.
As we rely on God's grace not only for the outcome of our requests but for the process as well, we can keep coming to the Lord in prayer, trusting His wisdom and care for us.
Our Lord's encouragement to us is clear: Always pray and don't give up!
Lord, in the difficulty I face today, guard my heart, guide my words, and show Your grace. May I always turn to You in prayer.
Prayer changes everything.