尼希米記 1:5-9

 

Nehemiah 1:5-9 NIV (New International Version)

⁵ Then I said:

“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome

God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who

love him and obey his commands, ⁶ let your ear be

attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your

 servant is praying before you day and night for your

servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we

Israelites, including myself and my father’s house,

have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very

wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the

commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant

Moses.

 

⁸ "Remember the instruction you gave your servant

Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you

 among the nations, ⁹ but if you return to me and

obey my commands, then even if your exiled people

 are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from

there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a

dwelling for my Name.’

 

***************

1:5 「耶和華天上的神，大而可畏的神啊，你向愛你，守你誡命的人守約施慈愛。

1:6 願你睜眼看，側耳聽，你僕人晝夜在你面前，為你眾僕人以色列民的祈禱，承認我們以色列人向你所犯的罪。我與我父家都有罪了，

1:7 我們向你所行的甚是邪惡，沒有遵守你藉著僕人摩西所吩咐的誡命、律例、典章；

1:8 求你記念所吩咐你僕人摩西的話，說：『你們若犯罪，我就把你們分散在萬民中；

1:9 但你們若歸向我，謹守遵行我的誡命，你們被趕散的人雖在天涯，我也必從那裏將他們招聚回來，帶到我所選擇立為我名的居所。』

******************

 

尼希米雖然身處波斯王宮，卻心繫耶路撒冷，關心其重建之問題，所以為其禱告。

 

在他的禱告中，首先呼籲上帝垂憐，赦免以色列全族過去和現在的罪，因為以色列人犯罪，所以遭到滅國；但是上帝曾應許以色列人若悔改的話，要重新把他們招聚回應許之地。所以，尼希米是靠著上帝的應許來禱告，求主實行祂的所預定的事。

 

    這樣的禱告，也指導與引領我們的禱告生活。我們奉主耶穌的名禱告，天父必定垂聽並應允，但這樣之禱告不是隨己意妄求，而是要明白上帝的旨意與應許，順著上帝所預定的，來祈求和仰望，只憑上帝所賜之信心，不看環境。正如主耶穌所教導的先求上帝的國和上帝的義，表明自己願意順著上帝之引導來行事，參與上帝榮耀之作為，使主的名得著榮耀！阿們！