0808 为父的荣耀祷告
……所要生的圣者必称为神的儿子。 《路加福音 1:35》
如果神的儿子已经降生进入我的肉身，那么我是否让祂圣洁、无罪、单纯，并与天父的合一有机会在我身上展现出来呢？神子透过童贞女玛利亚降生到地球的历史为真，这个历史经验对每个圣徒也是为真。神的儿子通过神直接的作为降生在我里面；那么，作为祂的孩子，我必须行使孩子的权利——通过祷告始终与我的父面对面的权利。我是否发现自己不断对我生活中常识的一部分惊讶地说：「…为什么你要我转到这或去那里呢？ 『岂不知我应当以我父的事为念吗？』」（路加福音 2:49）。无论我们的情况如何，那位圣洁、无罪和永恒的儿子必须与祂的天父保持联系。
我是否够单纯到能以这种方式与我的主认同？祂是否得以奇妙方式待我？神的旨意是否在祂儿子已成形在我里面而得以实现（见加拉太书4:19），还是我小心翼翼地将祂推到了一边？哦，今天的喧闹声啊！为什么每个人似乎都如此大声喧嚷？今天，人们呼叫要处死神的儿子。现在这里没有神儿子的空间——没有与父安静、圣洁的团契以及与父合一的空间。
是神的儿子在我里面祷告，带给父荣耀呢？还是我正以我的强求向祂发号施令？祂是否像祂在地上为人时那样在我里面服事？神的儿子在我里面是否正在经历祂的受难和痛苦，以便祂自己的目的得以实现？一个人越了解神的最成熟圣徒的内在生活，就越能明白神的真正目的是「…要在我肉身上补满基督患难的缺欠…」（歌罗西书1:24）。当我们想到「补满」所需代价时，总会有一些事情需要完成。
来自章伯斯的智慧
我们的危险在于淡化神的话来迎合自己。神从不调整祂的话来迎合我；祂调整我来符合祂的话。 《不知往何处去》
0808 Prayer in the Father’s Honor
…that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. —Luke 1:35
If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ‘Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.
Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to “…fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Colossians 1:24). And when we think of what it takes to “fill up,” there is always something yet to be done.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Our danger is to water down God’s word to suit ourselves. God never fits His word to suit me; He fits me to suit His word. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R