Daily Devotion - Dec 9 - ¥q¥¬¯u¨C¤éÆF­×(¤é) Morning by Morning

司布真每日靈修(日) Morning by Morning

十二月九日

經文: 「耶和華必然等候，要施恩給你們。」（以賽亞書卅：18）

上帝常延遲答應人們的禱告，這樣的例子在聖經屢見不鮮。雅各與上帝的使者摔跤，直到天亮才得到所求的祝福。亞伯拉罕等到百歲才蒙福賜子。保羅三次求上帝挪開他身上的刺，但上帝卻沒有答應，只說：「我的恩典是夠你用的。」

假若你一直為某件事祈禱，卻未蒙應允，別對上帝懷疑。那是因為上帝對你有特別的美意與安排，或是祂要顯明在各樣的事上，祂有絕對的主權與能力──賞賜的是祂，收取的也是祂。更多的時候，祂是為了我們的好處，要我們多等一會兒，好叫我們禱告得更迫切，等禱告蒙應允時，就越覺得珍貴甘甜。

另外一種可能，就是藉著忍耐等候的時間，上帝要我們學習某些功課，或者對付我們身上某些上帝所不喜悅的東西，好叫我們成為清潔的器皿來承載滿足的喜樂。所以，你的禱告上帝仍然垂聽，雖然祂會延遲禱告，但上帝終必成就你的心願，讓你有滿足的感恩之情。繼續忠心懇切地禱告吧！別被失望沮喪佔滿心頭，仰望上帝，祂是喜樂、希望的源頭。


Morning, December 9

Scripture: "Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you."(Isaiah 30:18)

God often DELAYS IN ANSWERING PRAYER . We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day—he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophenicia was answered not a word for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that "the thorn in the flesh" might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it should be taken away, but instead thereof a promise that God's grace should be sufficient for him. If thou hast been knocking at the gate of mercy, and hast received no answer, shall I tell thee why the mighty Maker hath not opened the door and let thee in? Our Father has reasons peculiar to himself for thus keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show his power and his sovereignty, that men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold. More frequently the delay is for our profit. Thou art perhaps kept waiting in order that thy desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase desire, and that if he keeps thee waiting thou wilt see thy necessity more clearly, and wilt seek more earnestly; and that thou wilt prize the mercy all the more for its long tarrying. There may also be something wrong in thee which has need to be removed, before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps thy views of the Gospel plan are confused, or thou mayest be placing some little reliance on thyself, instead of trusting simply and entirely to the Lord Jesus. Or, God makes thee tarry awhile that he may the more fully display the riches of his grace to thee at last. Thy prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while shall be fulfilled to thy delight and satisfaction. Let not despair make thee silent, but continue instant in earnest supplication.

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