十月十一日
我們當誠心向天上的神舉手禱告。（哀3：41）
禱告的動作教我們知道自己的不配，對于我們這些驕傲的人這是一個很好的教訓。若是神不叫我們禱告就把恩典賜給我們的話，我們永也不會知道我們是怎樣地貧窮；而真實的禱告乃是缺乏的清單，需要的表册，隱貧的揭露。當人祈求神的豐富時，就是承認自己的空虛；一個健全的基督徒，常是倒空自己多求神的供給，常在自己裏面貧窮，而在耶穌裏面豐富；自己要像水一樣地軟弱，但靠神的大能而作大事。
禱告既然是敬拜神，因此禱告便叫人常常五體投地。撇開神的應允不談，單單禱告本身就是基督徒的大福分。賽跑的人因平日的練習在賽跑時便有力量，我們這從事人生賽跑的人，也當從平時熱切的禱告獲得能力。禱告能使神的雛鷹展翅高翔，上淩雲霄；禱告爲神的戰士束起腰來，使他們用强勁的筋肉向前奮戰；一位懇切禱告的人離開密室時，猶如太陽的出洞房，或是壯士的歡然奔向前程。禱告是摩西高舉的手，它擊殺亞瑪力人，比約書亞的刀劍更爲鋒利，所殺的更多；它是在先知房中所射的得勝箭，預先戰勝了亞蘭人。禱告用神的能力爲軟弱的人束腰，把人的愚妄變成神的智慧，幷且把神的平安賜給受苦的人。我們不知道禱告有什麽不能成就的事！偉大、全權全能的神啊！我們爲你的施恩座感謝你，它是彰顯你慈愛的最好的證據。求你幫助我們今天能多多善用你的施恩座！
October
11
"Let
us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the
heavens."--Lamentations 3:41
The act of prayer teaches us our
unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud beings as we are.
If God gave us favours without constraining us to pray for them we should never
know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue
of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty. While it is an application to
divine wealth, it is a confession of human emptiness. The most healthy state of
a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the
Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water
personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits; and hence the use of
prayer, because, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be,
in the very dust. Prayer is in itself, apart from the answer which it brings, a
great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by
daily exercise, so for the great race of life we acquire energy by the hallowed
labour of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eaglets, that they may
learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer girds the loins of God's warriors, and
sends them forth to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An
earnest pleader cometh out of his closet, even as the sun ariseth from the
chambers of the east, rejoicing like a strong man to run his race. Prayer is
that uplifted hand of Moses which routs the Amalekites more than the sword of
Joshua; it is the arrow shot from the chamber of the prophet foreboding defeat
to the Syrians. Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human
folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the peace of God. We
know not what prayer cannot do! We thank thee, great God, for the mercy-seat, a
choice proof of thy marvellous lovingkindness. Help us to use it aright
throughout this day!
10月11日清晨甘露
.