God Will Answer 上帝会回应

[Dexu Xia]

You will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12

When Pastor Timothy wears his preacher collar while traveling, he often gets stopped by strangers. “Pray for me, please,” people in the airport say when they see the clerical band atop his simple dark suit. On a recent flight, a woman knelt by his seat when she noticed him, pleading: “Are you a pastor? Would you pray for me?” And Pastor Timothy prayed.

A passage in Jeremiah sheds light on why we perceive that God hears and answers prayer: God cares! He assured His beloved but sinful, exiled people, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you’ ” (29:11). God anticipated a time when they would return to Him. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,” He said, “and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (vv. 12-13).

The prophet learned this and more about prayer while confined to prison. God assured him, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (33:3).

Jesus also urges us to pray. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” He said (Matthew 6:8). So “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” in prayer (7:7). Every petition we make draws us closer to the one who answers. We don’t have to be a stranger to God in prayer. He knows us and wants to hear from us. We can take our concerns to Him right now.

How often do you pray? What will you say to God today?

Your care and knowledge of me inspire my prayers, dear God. Thank You for answering.

你们寻求我，若专心寻求我，就必寻见”（第 12-13 节）。

当牧师提摩太在旅途中戴着牧师领时，他经常被陌生人拦住。当机场的人们看到他朴素的深色西装上戴着牧师领时，他们会说：“请为我祈祷。”在最近的一次航班上，一名女子注意到他后跪在他的座位旁，恳求道：“你是牧师吗？你能为我祈祷吗？”然后牧师提摩太开始祈祷。 

耶利米书中的一段经文阐明了，我们为什么认为上帝会听到并回应祈祷：上帝关心！他向他所爱但有罪的流亡人民保证：“耶和华说：‘我知道我为你们所怀的意念，是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念。’”（29:11）。上帝预计他们会回到他身边。“那时你们必求告我，祷告我，”他说，“我就应允你们。你们寻求我，若一心寻求我，就必寻见我”（12-13 节）。

先知耶利米在狱中学到了这一点，以及更多关于祈祷的知识。上帝向他保证：“你求告我，我就应允你，并将你所不知道、又大又难的事指示你”（33:3）。

耶稣也敦促我们祈祷。他说：“你们没有祈求以先，你们所需用的，你们的父早已知道了”（马太福音 6:8）。因此，在祷告中要“祈求”、“寻求”和“叩门”（7:7）。

我们提出的每一个请求都会让我们更接近那位回答我们问题的人。在祷告中，我们不必对上帝陌生。他了解我们，想听到我们的声音。我们现在就可以把我们的担忧告诉他。

反思：你多久祈祷一次？你今天会对上帝说什么？

亲爱的上帝，你对我的关心和了解，激发了我祈祷的热情。谢谢你对我祷告的回应。