十二月九日

耶和華必然等候，要施恩給你們。（賽30：18）

神答應人的禱告常是很遲緩的，在聖經中我們有好多例子。雅各整夜摔跤到天明的時候，才得到天使的祝福。叙利非尼基族的婦人再三求告才得了主的答應。保羅曾爲他肉體上的“一根刺”“三次求過主”，叫那刺離開他，但是他幷沒有得到應允，神只是應許他說：“我的恩典够你用的。”若你叩求恩門未蒙應允，我可以告訴你爲什麽大能的造物主未給你開門叫你進去。

我們的父有一種特殊的理由叫我們等候。有時是爲了彰顯他的大能和威權，使人知道給與不給的權柄乃在于耶和華；但多半他的遲延是爲了我們的好處。神若叫你等候，或許你的心願會因此更熱烈起來。神知道遲延更能加强幷加增你的心願的。若他使你等候，你就更能清楚地看到你的需要，幷熱切地祈求；你也就更能寶貴你所久候的恩典。在神還沒有賜你喜樂之前，或者有一些錯誤的東西你應當除去。或許你對于福音救法的觀點不清楚，也或者你有一些依靠自己，幷不專心一意地倚靠耶穌。或許，神使你稍事等待，爲的是在末後向你彰顯他的恩典有多麽豐富。你的禱告都記錄在天上，倘若不立即應允，當然也不是被遺忘了，再等一會就要成全，必使你歡樂而滿足。不要因失望而緘默起來，乃要恒心切切祈求。

“這是爲你們的緣故，好叫你們相信。”

December 9

"Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you."—Isaiah 30:18

God often delays in answering prayer. We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day--he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophenicia was answered not a word for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that "the thorn in the flesh" might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it should be taken away, but instead thereof a promise that God's grace should be sufficient for him. If thou hast been knocking at the gate of mercy, and hast received no answer, shall I tell thee why the mighty Maker hath not opened the door and let thee in? Our Father has reasons peculiar to himself for thus keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show his power and his sovereignty, that men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold. More frequently the delay is for our profit. Thou art perhaps kept waiting in order that thy desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase desire, and that if he keeps thee waiting thou wilt see thy necessity more clearly, and wilt seek more earnestly; and that thou wilt prize the mercy all the more for its long tarrying. There may also be something wrong in thee which has need to be removed, before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps thy views of the Gospel plan are confused, or thou mayest be placing some little reliance on thyself, instead of trusting simply and entirely to the Lord Jesus. Or, God makes thee tarry awhile that he may the more fully display the riches of his grace to thee at last. Thy prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while shall be fulfilled to thy delight and satisfaction. Let not despair make thee silent, but continue instant in earnest supplication.