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經文：「有女先知名亞拿....並不離開聖殿，禁食祈求，晝夜事奉神。」（路2:36-37） 我們越常禱告，就越會禱告，這是無庸置疑的。至於那些沒有穩定禱告的人，他們的禱告絕不會發生多大效力。 禱告的能力是我們每一個人都能得到的，但是卻不是不費力就能得到。亞伯拉罕如果不常和神交通，就絕不能那麼成功的為索多瑪向神祈求。 雅各在毗努伊勒的徹夜禱告，那絕不是他第一次與神相遇。主耶穌受難前與門徒的禱告是我們最印象深刻的一幕，但這也是我們的主日夜禱告的結果。 如果有人想不費力，就可以成為一個禱告的偉人，他絕對大錯特錯了。以利亞的禱告，先求天開，然後大雨和大火降下也是不斷禱告的結果。是的，真希望每一位信徒都記得：禱告的效力，在乎禱告的堅忍。 代禱者可說是教會最大的守望者；他們常把需要帶到神的施恩寶座前，好成為神施憐憫的管道。我們應當藉著禱告來學習禱告，藉著持續禱告來使禱告持續。--司布眞 C. H. Spurgeon 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "And there was Anna, a prophetess . . . which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:36, 37). No doubt by praying we learn to pray, and the more we pray the oftener we can pray, and the better we can pray. He who prays in fits and starts is never likely to attain to that effectual, fervent prayer which availeth much. Great power in prayer is within our reach, but we must go to work to obtain it. Let us never imagine that Abraham could have interceded so successfully for Sodom if he had not been all his lifetime in the practice of communion with God. Jacob's all-night at Peniel was not the first occasion upon which he had met his God. We may even look upon our Lord's most choice and wonderful prayer with his disciples before His Passion as the flower and fruit of His many nights of devotion, and of His often rising up a great while before day to pray. If a man dreams that he can become mighty in prayer just as he pleases, he labors under a great mistake. The prayer of Elias which shut up heaven and afterwards opened its floodgates, was one of long series of mighty prevailings with God. Oh, that Christian men would remember this! Perseverance in prayer is necessary to prevalence in prayer. Those great intercessors, who are not so often mentioned as they ought to be in connection with confessors and martyrs, were nevertheless the grandest benefactors of the Church; but it was only by abiding at the mercy-seat that they attained to be such channels of mercy to men. We must pray to pray, and continue in prayer that our prayers may continue. --G. H.. Spurgeon ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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