四月二日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/04/0402.mp3″]
经文: 祂必看见后裔,并且延长年日,耶和华所喜悦的事,必在祂手中亨通。(以赛亚书五十三:10)
所有爱主的人啊,求上帝快快应验此一应许。当我所期望的是奠基于上帝自己的应许时,我们的祷告就变得容易。祂怎能言而失信呢?永不改变的真理不能藉谎言贬抑自己,永恒的信实不能藉疏忽降低自己。每当你祈求基督的国度来临时,让你的眼目注视在逐渐接近、赐福之日的黎明。被钉十架的那一位就在被人遗弃之地接受了祂的冠冕。你以祈祷为基督作工,虽然似乎少有成就,但切勿丧胆。借助于信心的望远镜,从镜片上擦去疑惑的雾气,透过它去观望,必见那将要来临的荣耀。你是否以此不断地祈祷?请记住基督告诉我们说:“我们日用的饮食,今日赐给我们”。祂也同样地告诉我们,要先如此恳求:“愿人都尊祢的名为圣。愿祢的国降临。愿祢的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。”(太六:11,9-10)。你的祷告不要只是为你自己的罪、自己的需要、自己的不完全和自己的试验。攀登摘取繁星的阶梯,亲至基督跟前。当你接近宝血洒布的施恩座时,不断地献上这样的祷告:“主啊,扩展祢亲爱儿子的国度。”如此热诚呈献的祷词将提升你挚爱之灵。以高举主的荣耀来证明你祷告的诚恳。
Evening, April 2
Scripture: “He shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”(Isaiah 53:10)
Plead for the speedy fulfilment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God’s own promise. How can he that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless his Son, his covenant binds him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive his coronation in the place where men rejected him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” had first given us this petition, “Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, “Lord, extend the kingdom of thy dear Son.” Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by labouring to promote the Lord’s glory.