0503 至關重要的代禱
靠着聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求…《以弗所書 6:18》
當我們繼續為他人代禱時，我們可能會發現，我們在代禱中對神的順服將使那些我們為之代禱的人付出比我們想象的更大的代價；其中的危險在於，神直接回應我們的禱告，正在逐漸提升到完全不同水平的人，我們卻開始在同情中為他們代禱。每當我們從與神對他人的興趣和關心的密切認同中退後，並進入對他們產生情感上的同情時，與神的重要聯繫就不見了。我們把對他們的同情和關心放在了路上，這是對神故意的責備。
除非我們對神有肯定和完全的確信，否則我們不可能有活潑而有活力的代禱。而對代禱所必需與神親密關係的最大破壞者，是我們個人的同情心和先入為主的偏見。與神認同是代禱的關鍵，每當我們停止與神認同時，都是因為我們同情他人，而不是因為罪。罪不太可能干擾我們與神的代求關係，但同情心卻會。正是對我們自己或他人的同情讓我們說：「我不會允許那種事情發生。」我們立刻就脫離了與神生死攸關的重要聯結。
至關重要的代禱讓你既無時間也無意願為自己「悲傷而可憐的自我」禱告，你不必努力將自己的想法排除在外，因為它們根本就不在那裡需要被排除到你的思維之外；完全徹底認同神對其他人生命的興趣和關心。神賜予我們對他人生活的分辨力，是為了呼召我們為他們代禱，而不是為了找出他們的錯。
來自章伯斯的智慧
根據神在你環境中的護理秩序來讀聖經，乃讀經唯一之道，即，在個人生活的血與情中讀經。《真的門徒》
0503 Vital Intercession
…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… —Ephesians 6:18
As we continue on in our intercession for others, we may find that our obedience to God in interceding is going to cost those for whom we intercede more than we ever thought. The danger in this is that we begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting up to a totally different level in direct answer to our prayers. Whenever we step back from our close identification with God’s interest and concern for others and step into having emotional sympathy with them, the vital connection with God is gone. We have then put our sympathy and concern for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.
It is impossible for us to have living and vital intercession unless we are perfectly and completely sure of God. And the greatest destroyer of that confident relationship to God, so necessary for intercession, is our own personal sympathy and preconceived bias. Identification with God is the key to intercession, and whenever we stop being identified with Him it is because of our sympathy with others, not because of sin. It is not likely that sin will interfere with our intercessory relationship with God, but sympathy will. It is sympathy with ourselves or with others that makes us say, “I will not allow that thing to happen.” And instantly we are out of that vital connection with God.
Vital intercession leaves you with neither the time nor the inclination to pray for your own “sad and pitiful self.” You do not have to struggle to keep thoughts of yourself out, because they are not even there to be kept out of your thinking. You are completely and entirely identified with God’s interests and concerns in other lives. God gives us discernment in the lives of others to call us to intercession for them, never so that we may find fault with them.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
To read the Bible according to God’s providential order in your circumstances is the only way to read it, viz., in the blood and passion of personal life. –Disciples Indeed, 387 R