卫斯理约翰祷告观(十一)
祷告会 15.6.2011
引言
大家好!
今晚我们继续看卫斯理约翰为家庭祷告的祷文,我特别应用星期六之早晚祷文分享。
O merciful Father, regard not what we have done against thee; but what our blessed Saviour hath done for us. Regard not what we have made ourselves, but what He is made unto us of thee our God. O that Christ may be to every one of our souls, “wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption;” that his precious blood may cleanse us from all our sins and that thy Holy Spirit may renew and sanctify our souls.[1]
慈爱的父啊,不要计较我们违背你的事,却看重我们救主为我们所做的事。 不要计较我们所造成的处境,却看主在你,我们的神那里所做的事。在灵里主成为人人之需要,“智慧及公义,成圣及救赎”;这宝血洗净我们的罪恶,愿圣灵更新及洁净我们的灵魂。
O teach us to know thee our God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; and enable us to do thy will on earth, as it is done in heaven. Give us to fear thee and to love thee, to trust and delight in thee, and to cleave to thee with full purpose of heart, that no temptations may draw us or drive us from thee; but that all thy dispensations to us, and thy dealings with us, may be the messengers of thy love to our souls.[2]
教导我们认识我们的神及耶稣基督,你所差遣的那一位。在属世中按你的旨意行,如同在天上。让我们敬畏与爱,依靠及喜悦你,深深贴近你的心不受任何的引诱,反而胜过,你全部的分配及经营于我们成为爱的使者在我们的灵魂里。
以下为两段的晚祷:
Thou givest us many opportunities and advantages, to quicken and further us in thy service. We have “line upon line” and “precept upon precept”; thy messengers early and late to open and apply thy word, to call and warn, to direct and exhort us, with all long-suffering. But how little have we improved all the precious talents which thou hast put into our hands.[3]
你赐我们许多机会与好处来提升及延伸我们给于你的服事,我们经历你使者公开或应用你的话,重叠与戒律的提醒,无论是在早或后,藉着呼吁、警戒、引导及劝告谆谆不休的教导。但我们这一方面在你所赐予我们的才干上的进步却是那么的缓慢。
We praise thee for all the comforts and conveniences of this life, and for all the means and hopes of a better; particularly for what we have received this day; the food of our souls set before us, the word of salvation sounding in our ears, and the Spirit of God striving with our hearts. O withdraw not thy tender mercies from us, but still continue thy accustomed goodness, and increase thy grace and heavenly blessings upon us, and rejoice over us to do us good.[4]
你所赐予我们生命的享受与方便我们要颂赞你,藉着各种途径我们盼望生活的更好,特别今天所领受的如灵魂的食物,由耳所听到的救恩话语及圣灵激动我们的心。不要将你的慈爱收回,相反要继续以你例常的恩惠、恩典及天上的赐福加添于我们,以致喜乐充满我们没,使我们福杯满溢。
由卫斯理约翰的星期六早晚祷文,我有以下的回应:
(1) 由早上的祷文中,卫斯理约翰是向神认罪并求神不要看人软弱的一面,而要看人在主里被刚强起来的另一面,因为主以智慧、公义、圣洁救赎我们。
我个人直接的回应乃是信徒在主如此的大能力救赎我们,生命必定转化与更新,这是基督徒不能忽略的。
(2)在生活中,我们不但要胜过试探,也要按神的旨意在日常生活中为上帝作见证,以便神国度藉着我们而显明的地上,这是信徒的使命。
在晚间的祷文,我也有两项回应:
(1)卫斯理约翰在神面前忏悔,人对他话语及提醒是那么的迟钝。
(2)神已全备供应于我们一切所需要的,恐怕神收回,卫斯理约翰求上帝继续施恩怜悯与供应。
结论
人对神丰盛的恩典之供应因不感恩与重视,也就不好好事奉上帝。人的生活进度缓慢,卫斯理心中是非常沉重的。
讨论问题
1) 神给于你的一切,你有满足吗?
2) 有否应用神赐于你的事奉他?
3) 今晚,你要在哪一方面向神悔改?
[1] The Works of John Wesley vol. 11-12, 256-257.
[2] Ibid 257.
[3] Ibid 258.
[4] Ibid 258-259.