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| 經文: 「你們當以基督耶穌的心為心。」（腓立比書二：5） | |
| 我還要給你一個屢試不爽的妙方：從世俗的應酬紛擾中退出，暫時停止心智的活動，撥出一個月的時間，單單地親近上帝，常常跪著向祂祈禱。當然，你也可以站著、走著，不拘怎樣的姿勢，最重要的是在心裡頭存著一顆向祂祈禱仰望的心；因著你的熱切與誠懇，慈悲憐憫的父上帝，將潔淨你的靈魂，除去從魔鬼或是從老我而來的邪情私慾，以及血氣的驕傲，代之以深度的謙卑，使你能夠接受屬天的亮光以及聖靈的充滿。 除去一切無益的想法，只單純地渴慕與上帝緊密契合，就像被囚的犯人，一心只想得自由那般地急切。在與上帝獨處的當兒，常會被聖靈光照，尤其想到己身肉體的敗壞，就心中憂傷痛悔，覺得自己罪孽深重，於是燃起禱告的渴望，深願聖潔之火燒盡自己的血氣，並被煉成精金。 這樣謙卑的禱告，上帝必接納；滿有慈悲恩典的上帝，也看重這顆憂傷痛悔的心，於是懺悔流淚的禱告，就變成感恩的樂歌；心中所洋溢的火熱之情，熔盡了屬世的愛慕，只剩下一顆單純愛慕主的心，凡事都願討主的歡心。 靈命成長到這地步，就進到另外一個境界，與上帝的關係極為親密，上帝的同在猶如呼吸般自然，禱告並不拘泥於某種特定的姿勢，或限定在某個特定時間及地方，而是全人籠罩在上帝的愛裡，憑信完全地仰賴上帝，願意順服祂的旨意，一切所做的都為討祂的歡心，這樣天人合一的境界，是禱告生活的最高層次。 禱告不是在上帝面前淘淘不絕地說話，而是花時間在上帝面前等候，讓彼此的情誼可以更加深厚；一開始，要謙卑地承認自己的渺小，要對自己一無所求，只求上帝的旨意成就在自己身上，心志上更是要完全順服上帝的帶領，看祂所看、想祂所想。「以基督的心為心，才是一個真正禱告的生活。」 | |
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| A TOUCHSTONE OF TRUTH | |
| Scripture: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"--Philippians 2:5 | |
| "I will here give you an infallible touchstone, that will try all to the truth. It is this: retire from the world, and all con¬versation; stop all the former workings of your heart and mind, and with all the strength of your heart, stand all this month as continually as you can in this form of prayer to God. Offer it frequently on your knees: but whether sitting, standing or walking be always inwardly longing and earnestly praying this one prayer to God: 'That, of His great goodness, He would make known to you, and take from your heart, every kind and form and degree of pride, whether it be from evil spirits or your own cor¬rupt nature; and that He would awaken in you the deepest depths and truth of that humility which can make you capable of His light and His Holy Spirit.' "Reject every thought but that of wishing and praying in this matter from the bottom of your heart, with such truth and earnestness as people in torment wish and pray to be delivered from it. "The painful sense and feeling of what you are, kindled into a working state of sensibility by the light of God within you, is the fire and light from which your spirit of prayer proceeds. In its first kindling nothing is found or felt but pain, wrath, and darkness, as is to be seen in the kindling of every heat or fire. And therefore its first prayer is nothing else but a sense of penitence, self-condemnation, confession and humility. It feels noth¬ing but its own misery, and so is all humility. "This prayer of humility is met by the Divine Love, the mercifulness of God embraces it; and then its prayer is changed into songs and thanksgiving. When this state of fervour has done its work, has melted away all earthly passions and affections, and left no inclination in the soul but to delight in God alone, then its prayer changes again. "It is now come so near to God, has found such union with Him, that it does not so much pray as live in God. Its prayer is not any particular action, not confined to times, or words, Or place, but is the work of the whole being, which continually stands in fulness of faith, in purity of love, in absolute resignation to do, and be, what and how the Beloved pleases. This is the last state °f the Spirit of Prayer, and is its highest union with God in this life." Prayer is not merely bringing certain requests to God. Prayer is the highest revelation of our fitness for fellowship with God. It begins with the deep humility that knows that it is nothing. That has no desire but to meet God in the fellowship of His love; and then with the whole being continually to live in absolute surrender, to do, and to be, what and how the Beloved pleases. | |
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