10/30/2022 凡祈求的、就得著 ~鍾卓權牧師
馬太福音 7.9-11節，主耶穌以簡單容易明白的例子確實地說出天下父母為兒女所計劃和預備的都是最好的，對於愛我們的天父而言，祂所預備和計劃給我們的必定也是最好的。可是、當我們還是小孩子的時候，父母認為對我們是好的東西或者應該好好學習的功課或者要好好接受嚴格訓練的時候，我們當時往往無法認同和體會，甚至拒絕遵行和接受。相反來說，小孩子自己眼中認為是好的，也不是那麼容易得到父母的允許，不是嗎？
我們知道神是愛，祂愛世上屬於祂自己的人，祂就愛他們愛到底(約翰福音 13.1)，神的愛沒有極限和疆界，但這並不意味著我們的行為可以隨所欲為，沒有規則和界限。希伯來書 12:6-7 節說：「因為主所愛的，祂必管教，又鞭打凡所收納的兒子。你們所忍受的，是神管教你們，待你們如同待兒子。焉有兒子不被父親管教的呢？」所以、雖然有些人可能會爭辯說規則令人失去自由甚至窒息，(抖不過氣來)，但任何好的父母都知道管教孩子是至關重要的。
同樣、當孩子們違反規則，不願意遵從時，父母仍然繼續愛和養育他們的孩子，當然他們的心會為孩子們難過悲傷。同樣，上帝為我們安排那美好的事，很多時候，我們一下子也很難體會到。雖然如此，我們要堅定信心，千萬不要動搖，無論順境或逆境，要願意以感恩的心去接受並學習，上帝賜給我們的必然是美好的，以賽亞書 55 章說因為上帝的意念非同我們的意念，上帝的道路非同我們的道路。天怎樣高過地，照樣，上帝的道路高過我們的道路，上帝的意念高過我們的意念。
今天，在你的生活中，你有什麼不能等待的事情嗎？不耐煩不忍耐是會導致問題更嚴重。馬太福音 7.8 節說：「因為凡祈求的，就得著；尋找的，就尋見；叩門的，就給他開門。」當然我們斷不能妄求，好像約翰福音 14:13節說：「你們奉我的名無論求什麼，我必成就，叫父因兒子得榮耀。」弟兄姊妹們，如果我們真誠地奉主的名求，這意味著我們會與上帝的意念一致，那麼主必成就我們奉祂的名祈求的東西。求主賜智慧和憐憫，幫助我們以上帝的意念為重。阿們！
Translation:
For Everyone Who Asks Receives ~Pastor Bernie Chung
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew7:9-11 (NIV)
Our Lord Jesus uses simple and easy-to-understand examples to tell us that parents in the world would plan and prepare the best for their children. Since our Heavenly Father loves us, what he has planned and prepared for us must be the best also. However, when parents tell their children to study and work hard at their training, their children often do not comprehend or accept their advice and become rebellious. Ironically, children often believe what they see as good are things that their parents definitely would never give them permission to do. Isn’t it?
We know that God is love, and the Lord Jesus loves his own people who in the world, all the way to the end (John 13:1). God’s love has no limit and is boundless. This does not mean we can do whatever we want without rules and boundaries. Hebrew 12:6-7 says: “because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline. God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” While some may argue that certain disciplines are too restrictive and suffocating, any good parent knows discipline is critical for the growth and maturity of their children.
Good parents continue to love and nurture their children even when their disobedience bring them grief. In the same way, God has arranged wonderful things for our life that we’ve failed to recognize time after time. Our faith in God should not waver, and our trust in him shall be strong. Not everything will go smoothly in our life. We must accept the good and bad experiences with grateful hearts for there are lessons to be learned. Isaiah55:8-9 says: ‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, ”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”’
Are you anxiously waiting for something in your life? Remember that impatience can deepen your anxiety and make your problem worse. Instead, go to our Heavenly Father so that our request will not be in vain. Matthew 7:8 says: “For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” John 14:13 says: “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Brothers and sisters, when we sincerely ask in the name of the Lord, we are doing it in accordance with God’s will. Our Lord will do it for us! Let’s pray in Jesus’ name and ask the Lord for wisdom and mercy to help us put God’s will first and bring glory to him. Amen!