1月9日

標題：禱告明白神的行事曆

經節：次日早晨，天未亮的時候，耶穌起來，到曠野地方去，在那裏禱告。（馬可福音一章35節）

對門徒而言，他們都知道清晨是耶穌的禱告時刻。當他們需要祂的時候，知道到耶穌禱告的地方去找祂。當猶大出賣耶穌時，就是帶著一群人去耶穌禱告的地方。

主耶穌每回面對重要的抉擇，祂就禱告。當祂在曠野遭受試探，被誘以世界的方法代替天父的方法時，祂禱告（馬太福音四章）。當祂面臨挑選門徒的抉擇時，祂徹夜禱告（路加福音六：12）。如果神的兒子需要徹夜禱告，好清楚明白天父的心意，那麼我們需要多少時間的禱告，才能清楚神的旨意？

耶穌經常被人群圍繞，祂知道自己必須找尋一處安靜之所，好能清楚聆聽天父的聲音。耶穌周圍有太多人想左右祂生命的方向：祂的門徒要祂和群眾在一起（馬可福音一：37）；群眾想擁祂為王（約翰福音六：15）；撒但試探祂，要祂妥協去敬拜並擁護撒但（馬太福音四：3、6、9）。耶穌知道自己的任務不是吸引群眾，而是持續地順服天父。藉著禱告，耶穌決定事工的行事計畫（路加福音六：12）。祂的禱告行在神跡之前（約翰福音十一：42～43）；在緊要關頭時，禱告為耶穌帶來勇氣（路加福音九：28～31）；禱告使祂願意步上十字架（路加福音廿二：41～42）；禱告使祂甘願被掛在十字架上，忍受痛苦折磨（路加福音廿三：46）。讓我們仿效救主的榜樣，在禱告中與神獨處，訂立我們的生活行事曆。

Prayer Discovers God’s Agenda

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

It was common knowledge among the disciples that they would find Jesus praying during the early morning hours. When they needed Him, they knew to go to the place of prayer. When Judas betrayed Jesus, he led his cohorts to Jesus’ place of prayer.

Every time the Lord Jesus faced an important decision, He prayed. When He was being tempted to do things by the world’s methods instead of the Father’s, He prayed (Matt. 4). When it was time to choose His disciples, He prayed the entire night (Luke 6:12). If the Son of God required a night of prayer in order to determine the Father’s mind, how long might it take us in prayer to clearly determine our Father’s will?

Because Jesus was so often surrounded by crowds, He knew He must find a quiet place so He could clearly hear His Father’s voice. Jesus had many people seeking to influence the direction of His life. His disciples wanted Him to go where the crowds were (Mark 1:37). The crowds wanted to crown Him king (John 6:15). Satan tempted Him to make compromises in order to draw a following (Matt. 4:3, 6, 9). Jesus knew that His mission was not to attract a crowd, but to remain obedient to His Father. It was prayer that set the agenda for Jesus’ ministry (Luke 6:12). Prayer preceded the miracles (John 11:42–43); prayer brought Him encouragement at critical moments (Luke 9:28–31); prayer enabled Him to go to the cross (Luke 22:41–42); and prayer kept Him there despite excruciating pain (Luke 23:46). Follow the Savior’s example, and let your time alone with God, in prayer, set the agenda for your life.