九月十九日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0919.mp3″]
经文: 我祈求为要得这孩子。（撒母耳记上一：27）
敬虔的心喜欢看到藉祈祷所得到的祝福，因为他们见到上帝在应允祈求时的特殊大爱。当我们提到“撒母耳”这个名字（意思是“从上帝那里求来的”）时，会感到十分亲切，正如哈拿爱这孩子一样。毗尼拿有许多儿女，只是这些儿女都是未经祈求而得的，是上帝的一般性祝福。哈拿只有一个儿子，是上帝所特别恩赐的，是更蒙爱的，因为他是迫切祈求的果子。祈求之杯自己所带来的祝福增添甜美。我们是否为自己孩子的信仰祈求？当他们得救了，当我们见到祈求应允在他们身上时，心中必有双重的甜美！不仅因为他们是我们身体所结的果子，更因为他们是我们恳求所结的果子。我们曾否寻求从主而来的属灵礼物？当上帝赐我们属灵礼物时，是以祂的信实和真理的金色纸张包里，因此是双倍珍贵。我们曾否祈求主的工作得以成就，看到上帝的兴旺驾着祈祷之翼飞翔是何等喜乐啊！经由祈祷之门进入我们家庭的祝福总是最美好的。在此情形下的祝福是真正的祝福而不是试探。即使祈求没有即时蒙应允，祝福也会因为迟延到来变得更为丰盛。马利亚在耶路撒冷寻找孩童耶稣，三日后，发现祂在圣殿中，这时在马利亚眼中的耶稣更为可爱（参阅路二：43～49）。因祈求而来的福气应当呈献给上帝，如同哈拿将撒母耳献于上帝一样。因为礼物是从天而来，就让它返回天上。让我们将爱献给上帝。
Evening, September 19
Scripture: “For this child I prayed.”(1 Samuel 1:27)
Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained in answer to supplication, for they can see God’s especial love in them. When we can name our blessings Samuel, that is, “asked of God,” they will be as dear to us as her child was to Hannah. Peninnah had many children, but they came as common blessings unsought in prayer: Hannah’s one heaven-given child was dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest pleadings. How sweet was that water to Samson which he found at “the well of him that prayed!” Quassia cups turn all waters bitter, but the cup of prayer puts a sweetness into the draughts it brings. Did we pray for the conversion of our children? How doubly sweet, when they are saved, to see in them our own petitions fulfilled! Better to rejoice over them as the fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our bodies. Have we sought of the Lord some choice spiritual gift? When it comes to us it will be wrapped up in the gold cloth of God’s faithfulness and truth, and so be doubly precious. Have we petitioned for success in the Lord’s work? How joyful is the prosperity which comes flying upon the wings of prayer! It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; the child Jesus was all the more lovely in the eyes of Mary when she found him after having sought him sorrowing. That which we win by prayer we should dedicate to God, as Hannah dedicated Samuel. The gift came from heaven, let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it. Here will be a special occasion for saying, “Of thine own have I given unto thee.” Reader, is prayer your element or your weariness? Which?
