13. Manna issue 57 - Praying in front of Unbelieving Roommates 未信室友前禱告
Why this can help improve our faith. 為何這能幫助加添我們的信心
Priscilla Kuo—Baldwin Park, California, USA 美國加州博恩教會
THE PRAYER THAT CHANGED MY LIFE 改變我生命的禱告
One afternoon during the first week of college,
I was sad when I heard
that some of my fellow True Jesus Church college peers
were too busy to attend our campus fellowship Bible study.
It was only the first week of school.
大學第一週的一個下午，
我很難過因為聽說，
有些我真耶穌教會的大學同儕同靈
因為太忙而無法參加我們校園團契的查經。
這才只是開學第一週啊。
Perhaps they had more school assignments than I did,
but their workload couldn’t have been so heavy
that they already couldn’t spare an hour or two in their schedule to come before God.
To me, it was a reflection of their priorities.
或許他們比我有更多的學校作業，
但他們的課業負擔應不可能到如此沉重，
以致於他們行程不能抽出一到兩個小時來到神面前。
在我看來，這反應了他們事情優先順序。
My heart was heavy and I wanted to pray.
However, my roommate was in the room doing homework.
Although I had already explained our prayer to her
and she nonchalantly consented to my praying whenever I needed to,
I still tried to pray when she wasn’t in the room.
But that afternoon, I no longer cared
if she would be surprised at the sound of prayer;
the only thing on my mind was
that I needed to cry out to God to lift the burden on my heart.
我心情很沉重，很想禱告。
然而，我的室友在房間裡做作業。
雖然我已向她解釋過我們禱告的方式，
而她也淡然答應我隨時有需要時可以禱告，
但我還是盡量在她不在時禱告。
但那天下午，我不再留意，
她是否會驚訝聽到禱告的聲音；
我腦中只有一件事，
那就是我需要向神呼求，求祂卸下我心中的重擔。
I quickly asked my roommate if she would mind if I prayed,
and she shrugged and said “Go ahead,”
so I thankfully knelt down to pray.
As soon as I was before God,
I started to cry in my prayer
because I was worried that my fellow brothers and sisters
would gradually push God further away in their newfound college freedom,
forget Him, and pursue after the world.
我很快問室友是否她會介意我禱告，
她聳聳肩說“去吧”，
於是我感謝的跪下來禱告。
一旦我跪在神面前，
我就開始在禱告中哭泣，
因為我很擔心自已的弟兄姐妹，
會在他們新獲得的大學自由中逐漸遠離神，
忘記祂，追求世界。
I was also anxious that our campus fellowship would fall apart,
as it did during previous generations,
because the members became busy with their own lives.
During my prayer, I desperately asked God to watch over us
and to not let us forget His grace.
我也很煩惱我們校園團契情會分崩離析，
像前幾代時期發生，
因為很多契員都忙於他們各自的生活。
在禱告中，我迫切祈求神看顧我們，
讓我們不要忘記祂的恩典。
Suddenly, I felt warmth around me,
as if someone was really hugging me.
In shock, I opened my eyes
to see my roommate praying beside me in silence
with her eyes closed and her arms around me.
突然間，我感到周圍一陣溫暖，
彷彿有人真的擁抱我。
震驚中，我睜開眼睛，
看到自已的室友在我身邊默禱，
她閉著眼睛，雙臂環抱著我。
I was so touched that she could look past the different way I prayed
and show her concern by stopping what she was doing to pray with me.
I felt God comforting me through her gesture of compassion and love.
Then I cried even harder
because I knew that God understood and that He was with me.
我深受感動，她能忽略我禱告的不同方式，
表達她的關心，停下她正在進行的事與我一同禱告。
我感受神安慰著我，透過她憐憫和慈愛的舉動。
那時我哭得更厲害了，
因為我知道神都理解，祂與我同在。
During that spontaneous afternoon prayer,
I had my first experience with God in college.
Since then, I have learned why continual prayer is so important.
I would like to share with you three points why I believe
that a consistent prayer life is necessary in every Christian’s life.
在那自發性的午後禱告時，
我在大學感受到自已第一次體驗神。
從那時起，我已明白為何持續禱告如此重要。
我想與大家分享三點，說明為何我相信，
在每個基督徒的生活中，有持續的禱告生活是很重要的。
WHY WE NEED A CONSISTENT PRAYER LIFE 為何我們需要一種持續的禱告生活
One: Because the Holy Spirit helps us
not to enter temptation and helps us in our weaknesses.
第一點：因為聖靈幫助我們
不陷入試探，並在我們軟弱中幫助我們。
As humans, we are created flawed,
with weaknesses in God’s design
to allow us the chance to experience His love and power
when we ask Him for strength.
Lord Jesus encouraged us in Luke 22:40
to “pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
身為人類，我們生來就有缺陷，
有神設計的弱點，
為了讓我們有機會體驗祂的慈愛和力量，
當我們請祂加添力量時。
主耶穌在路加福音 22 章 40節鼓勵我們，
“40你們要禱告，免得入了迷惑。”
He spoke these words when He lived among us
and experienced the weaknesses of the flesh.
He warned the disciples to beware of the tendency to follow one’s fleshly desires.
How?
Not through awareness, intelligence, or strength,
but through prayer.
祂與我們同住時，說了這些話
也經歷過肉體的軟弱。
祂警告門徒要小心隨從個人肉體慾望的傾向。
如何做到呢？
並不是靠洞察，聰明才智或力量，
而是靠禱告。
Romans 8:26 explains
that the Holy Spirit helps in our weaknesses.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.
羅馬書 8 章 26 節解釋，
聖靈在我們軟弱時會幫助。
因為我們本不曉得該如何禱告，
但聖靈親自用說不出來的嘆息替我們禱告。
We do not know what is to come or even what weaknesses we may have.
God, however, knows and is willing to aid us when we turn to Him.
我們不知道未來會發生什麼事，甚至不知道自己有哪些弱點。
然而，神知道，當我們轉向祂時，祂會願意幫助我們。
Two: To continue to grow and to experience God on our own.
第二點：要一直親自成長且體驗神
That afternoon prayer was
the beginning of closer friendships with my roommate and with God
than I could ever have imagined.
I really thank God
that He allowed me to cross paths with my roommate.
She was one of my closest friends throughout college
and remains so today, even after we have both moved home.
那天下午的禱告就是，
開啟我與室友，與神之間更親密的情誼，
超乎我自已以前所能想像。
我真心感謝神，
祂讓我與我室友有所交會。
在大學期間，她是我最親密的朋友之一，
至今仍未改變，即使我們兩個都搬回家之後。
From my relationship with my roommate,
I see parallels with how my relationship with God grew.
My roommate and I spent countless hours talking about everything.
Not only did our personalities complement each other,
but talking about God, our faith,
and our struggles also drew us closer.
從我與室友的關係中，
我看到自已與神關係成長的相似之處。
我和室友花了無數時間無所不談。
我們不僅性格互補，
而且談論神、我們的信仰，
以及我們的困難，也讓我們更親近。
Likewise, I put in more time and effort into talking to God.
As I began to treasure my time in prayer,
I began to understand Him first as a father who provided for me
and then as a friend who walked with me day by day.
I began to turn to God not only in times of trouble
but in everyday events.
同樣的，我投入了更多的時間和精力與神交談。
當我開始珍惜自已禱告的時間時，
我開始明白祂首先是一位給我預備的父親，
然後是一位日日與我同行的朋友。
我開始不僅在困境時尋求神，
也在日常生活中。
For example, I no longer had the help of my sister
to correct my essays in college,
so I learned to pray about my anxieties with writing essays.
God heard me
and helped me by bringing to mind different ideas to write about.
例如，我不再有姊姊幫我，
大學時來修改我的論文，
所以我學會向神禱告交託自已的寫作論文的焦慮。
神垂聽了我的禱告，
幫助我可想到不同的想法可以寫作。
There was one specific essay I fervently prayed about,
and that was the time I received my first “A” on a college essay.
That experience allowed me to see
that I could tell Him everything,
even the mundane, in prayer, and He would listen.
He became a faithful friend who supported me time and time again.
我曾為一篇特定的論文迫切禱告，
那也是我第一次得到自已大學論文“A”的時候。
那次經歷讓我明白，
我可以向祂傾訴一切，
即使是瑣碎小事，在禱告中祂都會聆聽。
祂成了我忠實的朋友，會一次又一次的幫助我。
Three: Because intercession is powerful.
第三點：因為代禱很強大
Right after the moving prayer with my roommate,
I had the courage to call my peers again
and ask them to come to Bible study,
not allowing myself to be discouraged if they were unwilling.
Thank God that, beyond my expectations,
they agreed without making any excuses and came regularly.
From that day on, I witnessed the power of God
changing their hearts and moving them to seek after Him.
Remembering others in prayer is simple yet effective.
在那與室友很感動的禱告之後，
我鼓起勇氣再次打電話給同靈，
邀請他們來參加查經，
即使他們不願意，也不容許自已灰心。
感謝神，出乎我意料的是，
他們欣然同意，沒有任何藉口，並且定期參加。
從那天起，我親眼見證了神的大能，
改變了他們的心，激勵他們尋求神。
在禱告中記念他人，即簡單，又非常有效。
Looking back now, it is hard to believe
how helpless and alone I felt a few years ago.
In our campus Bible studies on Paul’s letters,
I learned from Paul how to consistently intercede for others.
In Colossians 1:9,
Paul demonstrates the way he and the apostles prayed for members
when he said,
現在回想起來，很難相信
幾年前我曾感到多麼無助和孤獨。
在校園查經研討保羅書信時，
我從保羅那裡學到如何持續為他人代禱。
在歌羅西書 1 章 9 節中，
保羅試範他及許多使徒是如何為信徒禱告，
他說：
[W]e also, since the day we heard it,
do not cease to pray for you,
and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
9我們自從聽見的日子，
也就為你們不住的禱告祈求，
願你們在一切屬靈的智慧悟性上，
滿心知道神的旨意；
Our supplication on behalf of others
may move God to grant them the strength they need
or even save their souls.
我們為別人代求，
或許能感動神，賜給他們所需的力量
甚至拯救他們的靈魂。
OVERCOMING YOUR FEAR 克服自已的恐懼
Often, to have a consistent prayer life
means praying before unbelieving roommates.
There are many ways to approach the subject of how we pray with our roommates.
The most direct and perhaps easiest way
is to tell them you are a Christian
and that it is a common practice to offer daily prayers.
It is then very easy to explain to them exactly how we pray.
通常，要保持規律的禱告生活，
就代表要在未信室友面前禱告。
有很多方式可以和室友談論我們是如何禱告。
最直接也可能最簡單的方法，
就是告訴他們你是基督徒，
並且每天禱告就是一種習慣。
這樣就很容易向他們解釋我們是如何禱告的。
Other ways include turning a conversation onto the subject of religion
by asking them about their religious beliefs,
talking about the week and what you do on Sabbath,
or sharing your past and including how God has guided you.
Whichever method you choose,
the best time to tell your roommate is as early as possible.
It allows them time to grow accustomed to the idea
that you pray regularly and to expect the way you pray.
其他方法包括將話題引向宗教，
詢問他們的宗教信仰，
聊聊本週的情況以及你在安息日的安排，
或分享你的過往，包括神如何帶領你。
無論你選擇哪種方法，
告訴你室友的最佳時機就是越早越好。
這樣可以讓他們逐漸習慣這種想法，
你會定期禱告，並了解你禱告的方式。
Of course, we need to be considerate of our roommates
and try to make the situation comfortable for everyone.
Some tips to consider:
schedule your longer prayers when your roommate is out of the room
so that you can pray openly and enter deeper into the spirit in the prayer,
and get up earlier or sleep later
so that you can offer thanks before and after your day.
當然，我們要體諒室友，
並試著讓環境給每個人感到舒適的。
有一些密訣，
當室友不在家時，可以安排較長的禱告，
這樣你就可以敞開心胸禱告，更深進入靈裡禱告，
早起一些或晚睡一點，
使你可以在一天開始及結束時表達感恩。
Even so, there will come a time
when we must face our fears and pray before our roommates.
Whether it is before we sleep, before a meal, or in times of great distress,
we cannot put aside or postpone our prayers
because prayer is simply vital to our spiritual survival.
即便如此，總有一天，
我們必須面對自已的恐懼，在室友面前禱告。
無論是在我們睡前，飯前，或是在極度痛苦之時，
我們都不能擱置或延後禱告，
因為禱告對我們的靈命存活至關重要。
Some people may not understand, others may be curious,
but they will come to respect it as our way of living out our Christian faith.
God will also see the desire in our heart to pray to Him and will open a way
so that we have the opportunity to talk to Him heart to heart.
He has already promised He will be with us in our lives.
It is now up to us to respond and accept His offer.
有些人或許不理解，有些人或許好奇，
但他們終會尊重我們實踐自已基督信仰的方式。
神也必看見我們內心的渴望向祂禱告，並會為我們開路，
使我們有機會與祂敞開心扉交流。
祂已應許祂會在我們生活中與我們同在。
現在，就看我們如何回應並接受祂的請求了。
Hear Him calling to us today: 今日聽從祂呼召我們
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
(Isa 41:10)
10你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；
不要驚惶，因為我是你的神。
我必堅固你，
我必幫助你；
我必用我公義的右手扶持你。。
(賽 41：10)
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歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)