He Hears Us 上帝垂听

[Dexu Xia]

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

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt often endured long receiving lines at the White House. As the story is told, he complained that no one paid attention to what was said. So, he decided to experiment at a reception. To everyone who passed down the line and shook his hand, he said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. God bless you, Sir.” It wasn’t until the end of the line, greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

Do you ever wonder if people are really listening? Or worse, do you fear that God isn’t listening? We can tell if people are listening based on their responses or eye contact. But how do we know if God is listening? Should we rely on feelings? Or see if God answers our prayers?

After seventy years of exile in Babylon, God promised to bring His people back to Jerusalem and secure their future (Jeremiah 29:10–11). When they called upon Him, He heard them (v. 12). They knew that God heard their prayers because He promised to listen. And the same is true for us (1 John 5:14). We don’t need to rely on feelings or wait for a sign to know that God listens to us. He’s promised to listen, and He always keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).

When have you felt that God wasn’t listening? Why did you feel that way?

Dear God, thank You for hearing my prayers, though I may sometimes doubt it. Help me to trust Your promise that You listen to me.

你们要呼求我，祷告我，我就应允你们。—耶利米书29章12节

美国罗斯福总统在任期间，经常得面对到访白宫的许多来宾，他们都排着长龙与他握手。有个小故事说，罗斯福抱怨没有人认真聆听他所说的话，所以他决定在某次接待过程中，做个小试验。他对队伍中每位与他握手的宾客说：“今早我谋杀了我的祖母。”宾客的回复大多类似：“太棒了！继续努力。愿上帝祝福你！”直到队伍的最后，一位来自玻利维亚的大使才真正听进罗斯福总统所说的话。这位大使错愕地低声回答：“我相信她是自作自受。”

你是否曾不确定别人真的会听你说话？或更糟的是，你害怕上帝没有听你说话？透过对方的回应和眼神交会，我们能分辨对方是否聆听我们说话。但我们如何得知上帝会聆听呢？我们要凭感觉吗？或是凭眼见来断定上帝回应祷告呢？

当以色列民被掳到巴比伦七十年之后，上帝应许将祂的子民带回耶路撒冷并保障他们的未来（耶利米书29章10-11节）。当他们呼求上帝，祂就应允（12节）。他们知道上帝垂听祷告，因为上帝承诺会听他们的呼求，这对我们来说也是如此（约翰一书5章14节）。我们不需依赖感觉或等待某个征兆来证明上帝听我们的祷告。上帝已经承诺祂必垂听，而且祂总是信守承诺（哥林多后书1章20节）。

你什么时候会觉得上帝没有听你说话？
你为什么会有这样的感受？

亲爱的上帝，谢谢祢垂听我的祷告，
即使有时我仍会怀疑。
帮助我相信祢必信守承诺，垂听我的祷告。