Prayer is a gift to be shared.

“I didn’t realize what a gift prayer was until my brother was sick and you all prayed for him. I cannot tell you what a comfort your prayers were!”

萝瑞眼里含着泪水对我说：“在我弟弟生病之前，我从来不知道原来祷告也可以是一件礼物。你们的祷告，带给我难以言喻的安慰。”

Laura had tears in her eyes as she thanked me for the prayers of the people in our church for her brother, who was facing a cancer diagnosis. She continued, “Your prayers have strengthened him in this difficult time and have been an encouragement to our entire family.”

萝瑞的弟弟被诊断出罹患癌症之后，我们教会的会友都为他弟弟祷告。萝瑞前来向我致谢，她还说：“在我弟弟饱受病痛煎熬的这段时间，你们的代祷使他得着力量，而且对我们全家人而言，也是很大的鼓励。”

One of the best ways to love others is to pray for them. Jesus is our ultimate example in this. The New Testament tells us about Jesus praying for others on many occasions, and even shows us that He continues to come to the Father on our behalf. Romans 8:34 says that He “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Even after showing such selfless love at the cross, the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ continues to express His care for us by praying for us at this very moment.

关爱别人一个最好的方式，就是为他们祷告，而耶稣正是最佳的典范。新约圣经告诉我们，耶稣曾在许多不同的场合中为人祷告，此外也让我们知道耶稣如今仍持续地替我们向天父祈求。罗马书8章34节说：“[耶稣]现今在上帝的右边，也替我们祈求。”主耶稣基督在十字架上为了爱我们而牺牲、复活、升天，如今祂仍然为我们祷告祈求，不断地展现出祂对我们的关爱。

All around us are people who need us to follow Jesus’s example and love them with our prayers, inviting God’s help and intervention in their lives. We can ask God to help us pray for them, and He will! May our loving Lord strengthen us to generously give the gift of our prayers for others today.

我们身边的每一个人，都需要我们效法耶稣的榜样，以我们的祷告来爱他们，恳求上帝帮助他们，并介入他们的生活。我们可以求上帝让我们能为人代祷，祂必定垂听这样的祈求！愿慈爱的主赐力量给我们，使我们今天能慷慨地将祷告这份礼物分送出去。

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for praying for us. 

Help us to serve You and others through faithfully praying for them today.

Romans 8:28-34 NIV

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us,who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns?No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

罗马书 8:28-34 

28 我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人。 29 因为他预先所知道的人，就预先定下效法他儿子的模样，使他儿子在许多弟兄中做长子； 30 预先所定下的人又召他们来，所召来的人又称他们为义，所称为义的人又叫他们得荣耀。31 既是这样，还有什么说的呢？神若帮助我们，谁能敌挡我们呢？ 32 神既不爱惜自己的儿子，为我们众人舍了，岂不也把万物和他一同白白地赐给我们吗？ 33 谁能控告神所拣选的人呢？有神称他们为义了。 34 谁能定他们的罪呢？有基督耶稣已经死了，而且从死里复活，现今在神的右边，也替我们祈求。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

Both the Spirit and the Son are interceding (praying) for us. The Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray, praying for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:26–27). Like wise the Son is interceding for us from “the right hand of God” (v. 34). How wonderful to know that two of the three members of the Trinity are praying for us!

圣灵和圣子都在为我们祈求、代祷。当我们不知道如何祷告时，圣灵会帮助我们，并按照上帝的旨意为我们祷告（罗马书8章26-27节）。同样地，圣子也在“上帝的右边”为我们祷告（34节）。知道三一上帝中的圣灵和圣子都正在为我们祷告，真是太美好了！

But what about the Father? It is the Father who calls us to be part of His family (vv. 29–30). It is out of His love for us that He sent His Son to die for our sins and then raised Him to life so that we would one day be glorified and given all things (vv. 32–33). It is in the love of God that the Spirit and the Son pray for us.

那么天父呢？天父呼召我们成为祂家中的一分子（29-30节）。天父因为深爱我们，就差遣圣子为我们的罪而死，并使祂复活，好叫我们有一天也能得着荣耀，并得享万有（32-33节）。正是因着上帝的爱，圣灵和圣子不断地为我们祷告。

Since God’s love motivates prayers on our behalf, to whom can you show love by praying for them?

既然上帝的爱促使圣子和圣灵为我们代祷，那么，你会为谁祷告来表明你的爱呢？

整理：于姊妹