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經文：「祂就必成全。」（詩37:5） 我曾經以為自己禱告了以後，還需要負一個責任：按我所能的盡力去作，來幫助神成就我所祈求。後來神親自教導啟示，我所以為的並不正確，這反而會攔阻祂的工作。祂要我禱告了之後就完全相信，用讚美和感謝去等待祂的回應。 但是我們常常受到極大的試探想去做些什麼，總覺得坐著不動來信靠神未免不夠穩妥。其實我們應該知道就算善於游泳的人，也不能拯救一個不肯停止自己掙扎的溺水者。所以如果我們不肯停止自己的活動，上帝也照樣不能替我們作甚麼。並非神不願意，乃是神並不能，因我們的干涉攔阻了祂的工作。--C.H.P. 「屬地的力在活動的時候，屬天的力不能工作。」 神回應我們的禱告是需要時間的，但是我們常不給神那足夠的時間。神若需要時間畫一朵玫瑰或長一棵橡樹，神當然須要時間來為我們預備麵包：祂會先預備一塊麥田，耕鬆、撒種、加肥料、降雨露、照日光、長嫩葉。然後生穗、結實、磨粉、烘烤。最後才製成麵包，使饑餓的人得著飽足。每一步驟都需要時間。 所以今日我們若已耕了地也撒了種，就應當等待與信靠，直等到神的日期來到。我們應該給神相當的時間；請讓我們在禱告生活中也學習同樣的功課；學會明白神答應禱告是需要時間的。--J. H. P. 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "And he shall bring it to pass" (Ps. 37:5). I once thought that after I prayed that it was my duty to do everything that I could do to bring the answer to pass. He taught me a better way, and showed that my self-effort always hindered His working, and that when I prayed and definitely believed Him for anything, He wanted me to wait in the spirit of praise, and only do what He bade me. It seems so unsafe to just sit still, and do nothing but trust the Lord; and the temptation to take the battle into our own hands is often tremendous. We all know how impossible it is to rescue a drowning man who tries to help his rescuer, and it is equally impossible for the Lord to fight our battles for us when we insist upon trying to fight them ourselves. It is not that He will not, but He cannot. Our interference hinders His working. --C.H.P. Spiritual forces cannot work while earthly forces are active. It takes God time to answer prayer. We often fail to give God a chance in this respect. It takes time for God to paint a rose. It takes time for God to grow an oak. It takes time for God to make bread from wheat fields. He takes the earth. He pulverizes. He softens. He enriches. He wets with showers and dews. He warms with life. He gives the blade, the stock, the amber grain, and then at last the bread for the hungry. All this takes time. Therefore we sow, and till, and wait, and trust, until all God's purpose has been wrought out. We give God a chance in this matter of time. We need to learn this same lesson in our prayer life. It takes God time to answer prayer. --J. H. M. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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