8月8日 为父的荣耀而祷告

所要生的圣者，必称为神的儿子。（路一35）

神的儿子若住在我这肉身里，他的神圣、无罪、单纯和与父的合一，能藉着我彰显吗？神的儿子怎样历史性地藉童女马利亚降生世上，也在每一个圣徒里面降生。神儿子降生在我里面，是神自己直接的行动。然后我这作为神儿女的，必须用儿女的权利，也就是时刻与父面对面。我是否常常惊异地对自己说：“你为何总是打岔？岂不知我该以我父的事为念吗？”不论环境怎样，那圣洁无暇永恒的儿子，必须与他的父亲保持联系。

我是否这样单纯地与我的主合一？他奇妙的旨意在我身上得以通行吗？神能否看见他儿子成形在我里面？还是我可以地把他放在一旁？啊，这些日子太多扰攘！人人都在喧嚷－－为了什么？要把神儿子置于死地。此时没有地方为神的儿子存留，没有地方与父静交。神的儿子在我里面祷告呢？还是听我支配？他在我里面的工作，是否与他昔日在肉身时的工作一样？在我里面神的儿子，有没有为了达成他的目标而经受苦难？我们愈认识成熟圣徒的内在生命，就愈明白神的计划－－“是要补满基督患难的缺欠。”既是“补满”，就常有可为之处。

祈祷◆噢，主啊，我何等爱慕你，但我所渴求的，是更加自觉地敬拜你、与你相交和赞美神。求你洁净我因远离你而产生的玷污。

August 8 Prayer In The Father's Honour

“That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

If the Son of God is born into my mortal flesh, is His holy innocence and simplicity and oneness with the Father getting a chance to manifest itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the historic introduction of God's Son into this earth is true in every saint. The Son of God is born into me by the direct act of God; then I as a child of God have to exercise the right of a child, the right of being always face to face with my Father. Am I continually saying with amazement to my common-sense life – why do you want to turn me off here? Don't you know that I must be about my Father's business? Whatever the circumstances may be, that Holy Innocent Eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.

Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He getting his wonderful way in me? Is God realizing that His Son is formed in me, or have I carefully put Him on one side? Oh, the clamour of these days! Everyone is clamouring – for what? For the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for the Son of God just now, no room for quiet holy communion with the Father.

Is the Son of God praying in me or am I dictating to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the days of His flesh? Is the Son of God in me going through His passion for His own purposes? The more one knows of the inner life of God's ripest saints, the more one sees what God's purpose is – “filling up that which is behind of the affliction of Christ.” There is always something to be done in the sense of “filling up.”