堅持禱告
他，他的妻子和孩子都已經躺下睡了，這時他的鄰居前來敲門。這鄰居不斷地敲着門，直到他把門打開。他讓這鄰居走開，不要吵了，因為他的家人都已經睡了，再這樣會吵醒他們。鄰居解釋說，他家突然來了位朋友，他需要點吃的。那人不願幫他，並要求這鄰居趕快回家不要吵了。而這位鄰居繼續在門前請求，那人最終還是起了身，把他要的吃的東西給了他。鄰居不斷的請求使得那人不得不起來，把他需要的食物給他。這個故事是耶穌在教導門徒們禱告，告訴他們神如何回應他們的禱告時所講的（路加福音11:5-8)。堅持向神禱告，就是在告訴神我們對於正在禱告的事有多在意，我們會一直禱告直到這禱告得到回應。你是否曾向神提出請求，然後心裡想着，“禱告有什麼用啊？我看不到任何的回應或有任何的改變。我為什麼要一直為這事禱告呢？”然而，我們必須堅持禱告。堅持向神求告那些看起來似乎遭神迴避或是不蒙神垂聽的禱告。耶穌講的這個故事告訴我們，堅持是會有功效的。
作者: Andy Baker
譯者: Wang Jing
播音: Edward Short
Sweet Hour of Prayer / 12
PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER
He, his wife and his children were already in bed when the neighbor came and knocked on his door. The neighbor kept banging on the door till he answered him. The man told his neighbor to go away and be quiet because his family was in bed and all the noise would for sure wake them up. The neighbor explained that he had had some unexpected company to come and he needed some extra food. The man refused to help and asked his neighbor to just go back home and be quiet. When the neighbor continued to make his request at the front door, the man finally got up and gave his neighbor the food that he was requesting. The continual asking for help made such an impact on the man that he could not do anything else but to get up and provide the food that was needed. Jesus Christ told this story (Luke 11:5-8) while he was teaching his disciples about prayer and about God and how he answers prayers. Being persistent with God in prayer tells Him that we are so concerned about the things about which we are praying that we are not going to let him go until our prayers are answered. Have you ever made a request to God and then said in your heart, “What’s the use of praying? There doesn’t seem to be any answers or changes taking place. Why should I keep on praying about this?” But we must keep on praying. Keep praying to God about those things that it seems like he has avoided and not heard. This story that Jesus told says that persistence works.
Author: Andy Baker
Translator: Wang Jing
Vocal version: Edward Short