确信的信念 A Sure Persuasion

转载 Donald K. McKim 书籍《Everyday Prayer with the Refoemers》

诗篇17:1-7（新译本）

1耶和华啊！求你垂听我公义的案件，倾听我的申诉；求你留心听我的祷告，这不是出于诡诈嘴唇的祷告。

2愿我的判词从你面前发出，愿你的眼睛察看正直的事。

3你试验了我的心，在夜间监察了我；你熬炼了我，还是找不到什么，因为我立志使我的口没有过犯。

4至于世人的行为，我借着你嘴唇所出的话，保护了自己，不行强暴人的道路。

5我的脚步稳踏在你的路径上，我的两脚没有动摇。

6神啊！我向你呼求，因为你必应允我；求你侧耳听我，垂听我的祷告。

7求你把你的慈爱奇妙地彰显，用右手拯救那些投靠你的，脱离那些起来攻击他们的。

 

Psalm 17:1-7（ESV）

1 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!

3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.

7 Wondrously slow your steadfast love, O Saviour of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

 

 

确信的信念 A Sure Persuasion

我们祷告是一个信心的举动，这是信心，因为它需要我们踏入未知的领域，并深信我们的祷告已蒙垂听，神也将会回应它。我们祷告之前，也不会有任何迹象表明、或助于我们信心的举动。

在信心里，我们想起上帝过去如何地帮助和回应我们的祷告，我们相信上帝将会继续听我们的祷告。我们相信，所以我们祷告。

We say prayer is an act of faith. It is faith because it requires us to step out into the unknown, to trust our prayers are being heard – and will be answered – by God. There is no “evidence” in advance of our prayers that our act of faith will be helpful. In faith, we recall God’s past help and answers to our prayers. We believe God will continue to hear our prayers in the future. We believe, so we pray.

诗人也必然会如此觉得。当诗人在祈祷中摆脱了迫害他的人，他就谈到他祷告的依据和盼望：“神啊！我向你呼求，因为你必应允我；求你侧耳听我，垂听我的祷告。（诗17:6）”凭着他与神的经验，他呼求神，并信心地期待神的回应。这将包括上帝所显示的“坚定的爱”，因为上帝是让我们投靠的救主。（7节）。

The psalmist must have felt this way. In praying for deliverance from persecutors, he speaks of his basis for praying and his hope: “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words” (Ps. 17:6). Drawing on his experience with the Lord, he calls upon God, confident of receiving an answer. This will include God’s showing “steadfast love” since God is the “saviour of those who seek refuge” (v.7).

多个世纪之后，艾迪桑迪斯写到：“祈祷是痛悔之心的倾诉，我们深信上帝会满足我们的请求，请倾听我们向祂提出的诉求。”

Many centuries later, Edwin Sandys wrote that “prayers is the pouring out of a contrite heart, with a sure persuasion that God will grant our requests, and give ear to the suits which we make unto him.”

我们可以深信确信神会听我们的祷告，并会回答。按我们自己、与其他信仰的同路人，我们的经历告诉我们这是真实的。我们的信心是因着上帝确信的忠诚，祂听了并回应祷告。用我们确信的心去祷告吧！上帝必会垂听和回应。

We can have “a sure persuasion” that our prayers are heard and answered by God. Our experience and that of others of faith shows us this is true. Our faith is grounded in God’s sure faithfulness to hear and answer. Pray with “a sure persuasion”! God hears and answers!

                          Edwin Sandys

反思问题：回想你过去，你是否有不确定上帝会否听我们的祷告的时刻？或者上帝会否回应我们的祷告？当时你会如何？如今是什么让你确信上帝会听我们的祷告，并回应我们的祷告？

Reflection Questions : Think of times when you have been unsure God would hear and answer you. What did you do? What convinces you today that God hears and answers your prayers?