October 31

"Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8:26-27)

This is the deep mystery of prayer. This is the delicate divine mechanism³ which words cannot interpret, and which theology cannot explain, but which the humblest believer knows even when he does not understand.

Oh, the burdens that we love to bear and cannot understand! Oh, the inarticulate out-reachings of our hearts for things we cannot comprehend! And yet we know they are an echo from the throne and a whisper from the heart of God. It is often a groan² rather than a song, a burden rather than a buoyant wing. But it is a blessed burden, and it is a groan whose undertone is praise and unutterable joy. It is "a groaning¹ which cannot be uttered." We could not ourselves express it always, and sometimes we do not understand any more than that God is praying in us, for something that needs His touch and that He understands.

And so we can just pour out the fullness of our heart, the burden of our spirit, the sorrow that crushes us, and know that He hears, He loves, He understands, He receives; and He separates from our prayer all that is imperfect, ignorant and wrong, and presents the rest, with the incense⁴ of the great High Priest, before the throne on high; and our prayer is heard, accepted and answered in His name. ━A. B. Simpson

It is not necessary to be always speaking to God or always hearing from God, to have communion with Him; there is an inarticulate fellowship more sweet than words. The little child can sit all day long beside its busy mother and, although few words are spoken on either side, and both are busy, the one at his absorbing play, the other at her engrossing⁵ work, yet both are in perfect fellowship. He knows that she is there, and she knows that he is all right. So the saint and the Saviour⁶ can go on for hours in the silent fellowship of love, and he be busy about the most common things, and yet conscious that every little thing he does is touched with the complexion⁷ of His presence, and the sense of His approval and blessing⁸.

And then, when pressed with burdens and troubles too complicated to put into words and too mysterious to tell or understand, how sweet it is to fall back into His blessed arms, and just sob⁹ out the sorrow that we cannot speak! ━Selected

十月三十一日

「况且我们的软弱有圣灵帮助，我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息，替我们祷告。鉴察人心的，晓得圣灵的意思。因为圣灵照着神的旨意替圣徒祈求。」（罗八:26-27）

这是祷告的奥秘━是言语不能解释，神学不能说明的奥秘；可是最无知的信徒也能知道，虽然他也许不能明白。

哦，多少重担，我们背是背着，可是不明白！多少声音，我们听是听见，可是不领会！无论如何，我们知道他们是宝座上面的回声，是父神的耳语。许多时候，我们所听见的，并不是诗歌，乃是叹息；我们所背负的，并不是翅膀，乃是重担。但是这是一个有福的重担，一个带着赞美和欢乐的叹息━一个「说不出来的叹息」。有时候，我们自己也表白不出来，我们自己也不明白，只知道圣灵在我们里面祷告祂所明白的。

所以我们只要把我们心中所充满的重压、悲哀，一起倾倒出来，因为我们知道祂听、祂爱、祂明白、祂接受；并且祂将我们祷告中一切不完全的、愚昧的、错误的、分别出来；将其余的，和大祭司的香一同献在宝座面前；我们的祷告，靠着这位大祭司的名，得蒙垂听、悦纳、答应。━宣信

与神交通，不一定需要一直向神说话，或者一直听神说话的；有一种无声的交通，比言语更加甘甜。小孩子尽可以整天坐在妈妈身边，虽然两个人都不说话，两个人都很忙碌━一个忙着玩耍，一个忙着做事━可是他们两人中间却保持着极完美的交通。他知到她在那里，她知道他在那里。照样，信徒和主也可以这样保持静默的爱和交通。我们一方面尽可以顶忙碌地做日常的琐事，一方面应当知道我们所做的每一件事，是否都曾得到主的同意和祝福。

当我们的重担太复杂，不能用言语表达出来的时候，或者太神秘，不能明白的时候，让我们倒在主的怀中，把我们说不出来的悲哀痛哭出来！━选

1 groaning   

adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• She's always groaning on about how much she has to do. 她总抱怨自己干很多活儿。
• The wounded man lay there groaning, with no one to help him. 受伤者躺在那里呻吟着，无人救助。

2 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

5 engrossing   

adj.使人全神贯注的，引人入胜的v.使全神贯注( engross的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He told us an engrossing story. 他给我们讲了一个引人入胜的故事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It might soon have ripened into that engrossing feeling. 很快便会发展成那种压倒一切的感情的。 来自辞典例句

6 saviour   

n.拯救者，救星

参考例句：

• I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。
• The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

7 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

8 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。

9 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。