August 4

"And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me" (John 11:41).

This is a very strange and unusual order. Lazarus is still in the grave, and the thanksgiving precedes the miracle of resurrection. I thought that the thanksgiving would have risen when the great deed had been wrought¹, and Lazarus was restored to life again. But Jesus gives thanks for what He is about to receive. The gratitude² breaks forth³ before the bounty⁴ has arrived, in the assurance that it is certainly on the way. The song of victory is sung before the battle has been fought. It is the sower who is singing the song of the harvest home. It is thanksgiving before the miracle!

Who thinks of announcing a victory-psalm when the crusaders are just starting out for the field? Where can we hear the grateful song for the answer which has not yet been received? And after all, there is nothing strange or forced, or unreasonable⁵ in the Master's order. Praise is really the most vital preparatory ministry⁶ to the working of the miracles. Miracles are wrought by spiritual power. Spiritual power is always proportioned to our faith.--Dr. Jowett

Nothing so pleases God in connection with our prayer as our praise, and nothing so blesses the man who prays as the praise which he offers. I got a great blessing⁷ once in China in this connection. I had received bad and sad news from home, and deep shadows had covered my soul. I prayed, but the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, but the darkness only deepened. Just then I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: "Try Thanksgiving." I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return. Yes, the Psalmist was right, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."(Ps.92:1-3)--Rev. Henry W. Frost

八月四日

「他们就把石头挪开。耶稣举目说，父阿，我感谢祢，因为祢已经听我。」（约十一41）

这眞是一个奇怪的、反常的次序；拉撒路还在坟墓里，可是感谢已经先有了。我总以为感谢的时候，应当在大功告成，拉撒路复活以后；但是我们的主耶稣却为着那尚未成就的事情感谢━感谢发生在恩典到临之前，深信恩典已经在半途了。争战之前应当先唱胜利的凯歌！神迹前面应当先有感谢！

十字军出发启行的时候，谁肯先唱胜利的凯歌呢？祷告的答应尚未来到之前，谁肯先唱感恩的诗歌呢？但是我们的主所留给我们的榜样，并不是奇怪的、勉强的、没有理由的。赞美在行神迹的工作上实在是非常重要的。神迹由于灵力，灵力的大小是和信心成正比例的。──乔怀德

祷告的时候，没有一件东西比赞美更能得神的喜悦，也没有一件东西比赞美更能祝福祷告的人。有一次我在中国借着赞美得到一个很大的祝福：我从家乡接到很多不快乐的消息，焦虑密布了我的全心。我祷告，焦虑并不轻减。我竭力忍住，事实上却焦虑得更厉害。正在那时候我出发到一处内地去，看见在一家传道人住宅的墙上写着「要感谢」三个大字。我就立即开口感谢，不一会，我的焦虑全都消散了，一点也没有留下。啊，写诗篇的人说得正对：「称谢耶和华….这本为美事。」（诗九十二1-3）──富勒斯

1 wrought   

v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的

参考例句：

• Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
• It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

2 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

3 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 bounty   

n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与

参考例句：

• He is famous for his bounty to the poor.他因对穷人慷慨相助而出名。
• We received a bounty from the government.我们收到政府给予的一笔补助金。

5 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。