十二月九日
耶和华必然等候，要施恩给你们。（赛30：18）
神答应人的祷告常是很迟缓的，在圣经中我们有好多例子。雅各整夜摔跤到天明的时候，才得到天使的祝福。叙利非尼基族的妇人再三求告才得了主的答应。保罗曾爲他肉体上的“一根刺”“三次求过主”，叫那刺离开他，但是他幷没有得到应允，神只是应许他说：“我的恩典够你用的。”若你叩求恩门未蒙应允，我可以告诉你爲什麽大能的造物主未给你开门叫你进去。
我们的父有一种特殊的理由叫我们等候。有时是爲了彰显他的大能和威权，使人知道给与不给的权柄乃在于耶和华；但多半他的迟延是爲了我们的好处。神若叫你等候，或许你的心愿会因此更热烈起来。神知道迟延更能加强幷加增你的心愿的。若他使你等候，你就更能清楚地看到你的需要，幷热切地祈求；你也就更能宝贵你所久候的恩典。在神还没有赐你喜乐之前，或者有一些错误的东西你应当除去。或许你对于福音救法的观点不清楚，也或者你有一些依靠自己，幷不专心一意地倚靠耶稣。或许，神使你稍事等待，爲的是在末后向你彰显他的恩典有多麽丰富。你的祷告都记录在天上，倘若不立即应允，当然也不是被遗忘了，再等一会就要成全，必使你欢乐而满足。不要因失望而缄默起来，乃要恒心切切祈求。
“这是爲你们的缘故，好叫你们相信。”
December 9
“Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto
you.”—Isaiah 30:18
God often delays in
answering prayer. We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob
did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day–he had to
wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophenicia was answered not a
word for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that “the thorn in
the flesh” might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it
should be taken away, but instead thereof a promise that God’s grace should be
sufficient for him. If thou hast been knocking at the gate of mercy, and hast
received no answer, shall I tell thee why the mighty Maker hath not opened the
door and let thee in? Our Father has reasons peculiar to himself for thus
keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show his power and his sovereignty, that
men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold. More frequently
the delay is for our profit. Thou art perhaps kept waiting in order that thy
desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase
desire, and that if he keeps thee waiting thou wilt see thy necessity more
clearly, and wilt seek more earnestly; and that thou wilt prize the mercy all
the more for its long tarrying. There may also be something wrong in thee which
has need to be removed, before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps thy views
of the Gospel plan are confused, or thou mayest be placing some little reliance
on thyself, instead of trusting simply and entirely to the Lord Jesus. Or, God
makes thee tarry awhile that he may the more fully display the riches of his
grace to thee at last. Thy prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not
immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while
shall be fulfilled to thy delight and satisfaction. Let not despair make thee
silent, but continue instant in earnest supplication.
