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God hears us when we pray.
我们一祷告，上帝就听见。
Do not stop crying out to the our God for us, that he may rescue us. 1 Samuel 7:8
愿你不住地为我们呼求耶和华我们的上帝，救我们脱离非利士人的手。-撒母耳记上7章8节
One day, when I was deeply concerned about the welfare of one close to me, I found encouragement in part of the Old Testament story of Samuel, a wise leader of the Israelites. As I read how Samuel interceded for God’s people as they faced trouble, I strengthened my resolve to pray for the one I loved.
有一天，当我正为着一位至亲的问题而担忧时，旧约先知撒母耳的事迹给了我很大的激励。看见以色列人遭遇危难时，这位以色列人的领袖如何为他们向上帝祈求，让我也下定决心，要为我这位至亲祷告。
The Israelites faced the threat of the Philistines, who had previously defeated them when God’s people didn’t trust in Him (see 1 Samuel 4). After repenting of their sins, they heard that the Philistines were about to attack. This time, however, they asked Samuel to continue praying for them (7:8), and the Lord answered clearly by throwing their enemy into confusion (v. 10). Though the Philistines may have been mightier than the Israelites, the Lord was the strongest of them all.
那时上帝的子民再次面对非利士人的逼迫，先前他们因为没有信靠上帝，曾遭非利士人击溃（参阅撒母耳记上4章）。以色列人认罪悔改后，听闻非利士人即将再次发兵攻击他们。这回他们请求撒母耳继续为他们祷告（7章8节），上帝也清楚回应，大发雷声惊乱非利士人（10节）。虽然当时非利士人或许比以色列人强大，但上帝却远比他们更强大。
When we ache over the challenges facing those we love, and fear the situation won’t change, we may be tempted to believe that the Lord will not act. But we should never underestimate the power of prayer, for our loving God hears our pleas. We don’t know how He will move in response to our petitions, but we know that as our Father He longs for us to embrace His love and to trust in His faithfulness.
当我们因所爱之人面对争战而感到难过和忧伤，并且担心情况不会好转的时候，我们可能会认为上帝不会有所行动。但我们千万不要低估了祷告的大能，因为慈爱的上帝会听我们的恳求。虽不知祂将如何回应我们的祈求，但可以肯定的是，天父渴望我们活在祂的爱中，并相信祂的信实。
Do you have someone you can pray for today?
你今天要为谁祷告呢？
Lord, the way You hear and answer our prayers amazes us.
Strengthen our faith, that we will always believe in Your goodness and love.
主啊，祢以出人意外的方式垂听并应允我们的祷告。
愿祢坚固我们的信心，好让我们永远相信祢的良善与慈爱。
7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
7 非利士人听见以色列人聚集在米斯巴，非利士的首领就上来要攻击以色列人。以色列人听见，就惧怕非利士人。 8 以色列人对撒母耳说：“愿你不住地为我们呼求耶和华我们的神，救我们脱离非利士人的手。” 9 撒母耳就把一只吃奶的羊羔献于耶和华做全牲的燔祭，为以色列人呼求耶和华，耶和华就应允他。 10 撒母耳正献燔祭的时候，非利士人前来要与以色列人争战。当日，耶和华大发雷声，惊乱非利士人，他们就败在以色列人面前。 11 以色列人从米斯巴出来，追赶非利士人，击杀他们，直到伯甲的下边。
12 撒母耳将一块石头立在米斯巴和善的中间，给石头起名叫以便以谢，说：“到如今耶和华都帮助我们。” 13 从此，非利士人就被制伏，不敢再入以色列人的境内。撒母耳做士师的时候，耶和华的手攻击非利士人。 14 非利士人所取以色列人的城邑，从以革伦直到迦特，都归以色列人了；属这些城的四境，以色列人也从非利士人手下收回。那时，以色列人与亚摩利人和好。
Samuel led his people to worship of the one true God (1 Samuel 7:1–6). Prayer was central to Samuel’s ministry (v. 9); in response to his intercession, God gave the nation victory over the Philistines (vv. 7–13). To commemorate this God-inspired victory, Samuel erected a remembrance stone he called Ebenezer, which means “stone of help.” It can also serve as a reminder to us not to underestimate the power of God to respond to our prayers!
撒母耳带领百姓敬拜独一真神（撒母耳记上7章1-6节）。祷告是撒母耳事奉的核心（9节）；上帝回应撒母耳的代求，让以色列民战胜了非利士人（7-13节）。为了纪念这次的胜利，撒母耳立了一块石头作为纪念碑，起名叫“以便以谢”，意思是“帮助之石”。这块石头也提醒我们，不要低估上帝回应我们祷告的力量！
整理：于姊妹
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