提要
你曾否將禱告想作一個過程？我們通常只將禱告當成是一個嘴唇的動作：向上帝說出我們的需要。如果你仔細看耶穌在本章對禱告的教導，你就會發現，禱告絕不只是跟上帝交談。
就像耶穌所說的，禱告要用嘴，用頭腦，用心，用手；你祈求，你尋找，你叩門。
我們通常不會求一件我們已經有的東西，所以，當我們有所求時，我們是在界定一個需要，或者說，在設定一個目標。尋找，表示我們積極的四處察看、眺望，訂出選擇的範圍，當然這就需要做些計畫。當選擇的範圍縮小成幾個主要的方向時，就是叩門的時候。叩門的動作有期待的味道──機會就在門外。所以，我們叩門，我們付諸行動。
設定目標，作計畫，行動。這些步驟，聽起來好像商業研討會上的論調。但這裡的重點是：禱告在本質上是積極主動的，禱告一點也不被動。我們的禱告有時沒有得到答案，或許就是因為──那禱告根本還沒有完成。我們要祈求，尋找、並且叩門（注意，都是主動的動詞）。然後我們就會得著，尋見、進門。禱告時別只被動的坐在那裡，要有積極的行動！
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Overview
Have you ever thought of prayer as a process? Usually we think of it only in terms of verbalizing: articulating a need. But if you look carefully at Jesus’ teaching on prayer in this chapter, you begin to see prayer as far more than just talking to God.
As Jesus presents it, prayer is using your mouth, your head and your hands. You ask. You see. You knock. Let’s look at it.
We usually don’t ask for something we already have, so when we ask for something, we’re defining a need. Or, to put it another way, we’re defining a goal. Seeking means actively looking here, there, and everywhere, in order to find something. That is, we’re pursuing the options. And to do that we need to make some sort of plan. Knocking, narrowed to a few key doors. There is a note of expectancy as you knock – an opportunity lies on the other side. So we knock. We work the plan.
Defining the goal, make a plan, work the plan. Sounds like something from a fussiness seminar. But the point is this: prayer is essentially active. It’s not passive at all. Perhaps this is why our prayers are sometimes not answered – they’re not finished. We’re to ask, seek, and knock (all active verbs). After that, we’re to receive, find, and enter. Don’t sit back when you pray – go for it!
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Prayer
Dear Lord, we’re asking, seeking, and knocking. Help us to be more persistent as was the person in our reading who needed bread. Grant that Your will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven. |
