The Spiritual Search

What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? —Matthew 7:9

The illustration of prayer that our Lord used here is one of a good child who is asking for something good. We talk about prayer as if God hears us regardless of what our relationship is to Him (see Matthew 5:45). Never say that it is not God’s will to give you what you ask. Don’t faint and give up, but find out the reason you have not received; increase the intensity of your search and examine the evidence. Is your relationship right with your spouse, your children, and your fellow students? Are you a “good child” in those relationships? Do you have to say to the Lord, “I have been irritable and cross, but I still want spiritual blessings”? You cannot receive and will have to do without them until you have the attitude of a “good child.”

We mistake defiance for devotion, arguing with God instead of surrendering. We refuse to look at the evidence that clearly indicates where we are wrong. Have I been asking God to give me money for something I want, while refusing to pay someone what I owe him? Have I been asking God for liberty while I am withholding it from someone who belongs to me? Have I refused to forgive someone, and have I been unkind to that person? Have I been living as God’s child among my relatives and friends? (see Matthew 7:12).

I am a child of God only by being born again, and as His child I am good only as I “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). For most of us, prayer simply becomes some trivial religious expression, a matter of mystical and emotional fellowship with God. We are all good at producing spiritual fog that blinds our sight. But if we will search out and examine the evidence, we will see very clearly what is wrong— a friendship, an unpaid debt, or an improper attitude. There is no use praying unless we are living as children of God. Then Jesus says, regarding His children, “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8).

---

屬靈索引

你們中間，誰有兒子求餅，反給他石頭呢？ （太七9）

主在這裡拿一個孩子求好東西作比方，來說明禱告。我們似乎覺得神聽不聽禱告，跟我們與他的關係無關（比較太五45）。不要說得不著所求的，是出於神的旨意。不要就此頹然喪志，要找出原因，翻開索引。你與妻子、丈夫、兒女、同學的關係正常嗎？你是個好孩子嗎？ [主啊，我易怒，又暴躁，但是真理得著屬靈的福氣。 ]可是你得不著，知道你變成了好孩子。

我們把悖逆當作敬虔；把與神爭論當作拋棄一切。我們不去查一下索引。我是否還有未償還的債，卻又向神求金錢買東西？我是否一面求神給我自由，一面卻不肯把自由給屬我的人？我未饒恕人家的過犯，對別人不仁，在親友中未活出神的樣式。 （第12節）我惟獨藉重生才可以成為神的兒女，而作為神的兒女，只有行在光中才算是好兒女。禱告對許多人變成一種虔誠的陳腔濫調，成為情感的事，一種與神的神秘相交。在屬靈上，我們最擅於製造煙霧。但只要我們翻查一下索引，就必知道毛病出在何處－－朋友、債項、心思的粗暴。我們生活若不像神的兒女，禱告是毫無用處的。若像神的兒女，耶穌說：[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]

祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天早上我謙恭地祈求，充滿了崇拜和敬仰；當我想起自己的生命是如何備受保護，內心便充滿了謙卑。