一月十一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0111.mp3″]
“我已经为你祈求。”（路二十二32）
每念到救赎主不断为我们代求，我们的心就深受激励。当我们祷告时，祂为我们祈求；当我们不祈求时，祂也一样为我们代求。因祂的代求，使我们可以脱离许多看不见的危险。请注意祂安慰彼得的话：“西门，西门，撒但想要得着你们，好筛你们像筛麦子一样；但”——接下来是什么呢？是否要彼得“为自己祈求”呢？虽然这是很好的忠告，却不是圣经的记载。祂也不是说：“我要助你警醒，使你得蒙保守，”虽然这也是很大的祝福，但祂并没有这样说，祂说：“我已经为你祈求，叫你不至于失了信心”（路二十二31、32）。我们很少知道对主代求之恩有多亏欠，有一天等我们到天上，回顾神所引领我们经过的路程，祂如何摧毁撒但在地上的作为，在永恒的宝座面前，我们的心将要发出极大的赞美。我们将会多么感谢祂，因祂从不停息，昼夜向神指着自己手上的钉痕为我们代求；又将我们的名字佩在祂的胸前。甚至当撒但尚未试探之前，耶稣已先在天上为我们辩护代求。怜悯能向凶恶夸胜。祂不是说：“撒但在筛你，我会为你祷告。”而是说：“撒但想要得着你们。”祂阻止撒但一切的计谋，使它归于无用；祂不是说：“我想为你祷告。”而是说：“我已经为你祈求。我进到法庭，在撒但还未控告你之前，先做了辩护的工作。”哦，主耶稣啊，每当想到你为我们的事祈求，为我们抵挡那看不见的仇敌，我们的心就何等受安慰！你拆除仇敌设下的网罗揭穿他们埋伏的诡计，这正是我们喜乐、感激、盼望和信靠的凭据。
Evening, January 11
Scripture: “I have prayed for thee.”(Luke 22:32)
How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer’s never- ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, he pleads for us; and when we are not praying, he is advocating our cause, and by his supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter—“Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but”—what? “But go and pray for yourself.” That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does he say, “But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved.” That were a great blessing. No, it is, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” We little know what we owe to our Saviour’s prayers. When we reach the hill-tops of heaven, and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God hath led us, how we shall praise him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth. How shall we thank him because he never held his peace, but day and night pointed to the wounds upon his hands, and carried our names upon his breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice. Mark, he does not say, “Satan hath desired to have you.” He checks Satan even in his very desire, and nips it in the bud. He does not say, “But I have desired to pray for you.” No, but “I have prayed for you: I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation is made.” O Jesus, what a comfort it is that thou hast pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; countermined their mines, and unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.