8月31日

標　　題： 動 機

經　　節： 耶穌說︰「要我為你做甚麼？」（馬可福音十章51節上）

很難令人置信，主居然問我們，祂能夠為我們做甚麼。然而，有時候這是我們非回答不可的問題。巴底買是個瞎子，他清楚知道自己需要耶穌為他做甚麼：恢復視力。而他得到的，比肉體視力的撤消更多！他得到救恩，因為耶穌知道巴底買的心是忠實的。巴底買立即使用他剛得到的禮物，成為救主的跟隨者。

耶穌也曾經問過雅各和約翰，他們要祂為他們做甚麼。他們要求得到祂國度中最高的位置。這回耶穌回答說，祂不能滿足他們的索求。他們的要求是自私的，並且這個要求引起門徒之間的爭鬧（馬可福音十：41）。

只有當我們根據神的旨意祈求時，祂會樂意賜下我們所求的（約翰福音十五：16）。神不會回應我們自私的禱告（雅各書四：3）。如果神抑制我們所求的事物，我們應當要評估自己的禱告。我們的動機是否自私？我們的要求是否遠遠少過神要給我們的一切（列王紀下十三：19；以弗所書三：20）？我們所要求的事物是否配得上我們的神？我們是否缺乏信心，不確定神會滿足我們所需（馬太福音十七：20）？我們是否有尚未認的罪（以賽亞書一：15）？神喜愛回應我們的祈求（馬太福音七：7），如果根據祂的旨意祈求，就像巴底買一樣，我們會得到比自己料想的更多（耶利米書卅三：3）。

Motives

So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Mark 10:51)

It is hard to believe that the Lord would ask us what He could do for us. However, sometimes that is the question we must answer. Bartimaeus was blind, and he knew exactly what he wanted Jesus to do for him: restore his sight. Yet he received much more than physical sight! He received salvation, for Jesus knew Bartimaeus’s heart was faithful. Bartimaeus immediately used his gift to become a follower of the Savior.

Jesus also asked James and John what they wanted Him to do for them. They requested the most prominent places in His kingdom. This time, Jesus answered that He could not give them what they asked. Their request was selfish, and it brought dissension among their fellow disciples (Mark 10:41).

Only when we pray according to God’s will is He pleased to grant our requests (John 15:16). We will not see our prayers answered if we ask selfishly (James 4:3). If God refrains from giving us what we are asking, we should evaluate our prayers. Are our motives selfish? Are we asking for far less than God wants to give? (2 Kings 13:19; Eph. 3:20). Are our requests worthy of the God we approach? Do we lack the faith God requires to give us our desires? (Matt. 17:20). Is there unconfessed sin? (Isa. 1:15). God delights in responding to our requests (Matt. 7:7). If we will ask according to His will, we, like Bartimaeus, will receive far more than we anticipated! (Jer. 33:3).