约翰卫斯理祷告观(八)
18.05.2011 祷告会
引言
大家好!
今晚与下星期,我特别选两处的约翰卫斯理的祷文中的特点来与大家分享。如此,我们也从中丰盛我们的祷告生活。以下是他星期四之晚祷的心志。
My Lord and my God, thou seest my heart, and my desires are not hid from thee. I am encouraged by my happy experience of thy goodness, (particularly this day past), to present myself before thee, notwithstanding I know myself unworthy of the least favour from thee. I am ashamed when I think how long I have lived a stranger, yea, an enemy to thee, taking upon me to dispose of myself, and to please myself in the main course of my life. But I now unfeignedly desire to return unto thee, and, renouncing all interest and propriety in myself, to give myself up entirely to thee; I would be thine, and only thine for ever.[1]
我的主,我的神,祢是看人的心思,我的意欲都在祢里面。在这一天里,我经历了祢的恩慈而得鼓励。现今将我自己献上在祢的面前是毫无保留的,原本就是不配的。我非常惭愧,因我与祢还是如同陌生人,我比较看重处置我个人之事及我个人的兴趣。但我真诚地渴望回转到祢面前,宣告我将放弃一切我个人之兴趣及行为,完全交托于祢。让我永远归属于祢,只有祢直到永远。
以下是一些约翰卫斯理如何将自己献上的祷文。
To thee, O God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, my Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, I give up myself entirely: May I no longer serve myself, but thee, all the days of my life.
I give thee my understanding: May it be my only care to know thee, thy perfections, thy works and thy will.[2]
只有祢,神啊!父、子及圣灵,我的主宰、救赎主及圣洁者,我将自己完全献上,让我一生一世永远服事非我自己。
我将我所知道的献上,如此我能单单认识祢,祢的完全、工作及旨意。
I give thee my will: May I have no will of my own whatsoever thou willest may I will, and that only.[3]
我将我的意志献上,单单祢的心意,没有我个人任何的意念。
I give thee my affections: Do thou dispose of them all; be thou my love, my fear, my joy; and may nothing have any share in them, but with respect to thee and for thy sake.[4]
我献上我的感情,让祢安排一切,愿祢成为我的爱,我的敬畏,我的喜乐,没有任何其他的干扰,乃是尊重及完全为祢的原固。
I give thee my body: May I glorify thee with it, and preserve it holy, fit for thee, O God, to dwell in.[5]
我献上我的身体,藉这身体荣耀祢,有圣洁配得为祢。神啊!愿祢居住在当中。
I give thee all my worldly goods: May I prize them and use them only for thee.[6]
让我将我属世美好的都献于祢,让我看重它们并只为祢而使用。
I give thee my credit and reputation: May I never value it, but only in respect of thee; nor endeavour to maintain it, but as it may do thee service and advance thy honour in the world.
I give thee myself and my all: Let me look upon myself to be nothing, and to have nothing, out of thee. Be thou the sole disposer and governor of myself and all; be thou my portion and my all.[7]
我将我个人的称赞与名誉献上,不为自己使用,只为祢而用上,非努力守住,乃是应用在神的荣耀国度里。
我将我自己及一切献上,让我看到自己是一无所有,而非期望由祢那里得东西。
看管及独一的安排者,愿祢治理我及一切,愿祢成为我的一部分也是一切。
分析
约翰卫斯理在神面前是完全敞开自己。
约翰卫斯理在神面前也是完全献上自己。
约翰卫斯理在神面前要神来管理他。
约翰卫斯理知道将自己交于神才能得着一切、保留一切为自己是失弃一切的。
讨论问题
你在祷告中是求多还是给多?
约翰卫斯理的祷文你学习到什么功课?
你会在什么场合中分享约翰卫斯理如此的祷文?
[1] The Works of John Wesley vol 11-12, 226.
[2] Ibid 226.
[3] Ibid 226.
[4] Ibid 226.
[5] Ibid 227.
[6] Ibid 227.
[7] Ibid 227.