God is always at work on behalf of His people.

上帝一直为祂的子民动工。

Your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. Daniel 10:12

你的言语已蒙应允，我是因你的言语而来。-但以理书10章12节

My daughter sent a text message to a friend, in hopes of having a question answered quickly. Her phone’s messaging service showed that the recipient had read the message, so she waited anxiously for a reply. Mere moments passed, yet she grew frustrated, groaning her annoyance at the delay. Irritation eroded into worry; she wondered whether the lack of response meant there was a problem between them. Eventually a reply came and my daughter was relieved to see their relationship was fine. Her friend had simply been sorting out the details needed to answer the question.

我女儿传简讯给她的朋友，希望对方能尽快回答她的问题。手机显示对方已读了讯息，所以她焦虑地等待回复。只不过是一会儿，她就开始烦躁不安，不停地抱怨朋友为何不回应。焦躁很快化为忧虑，她担心对方没回应，表示她们之间的关系出了问题。最后，她终于收到回复，她松了一口气，确定她们的关系还是很好。其实，她朋友只是需要一点时间厘清一些细节，以便回复她的问题。

The Old Testament prophet Daniel also anxiously awaited a reply. After receiving a frightening vision of great war, Daniel fasted and sought God through humble prayer (10:3, 12). For three weeks, he received no reply (vv. 2, 13). Finally, an angel arrived and assured Daniel his prayers had been heard “since the first day.” In the meantime, the angel had been battling on behalf of those prayers. Though Daniel didn’t know it at first, God was at work during each of the twenty-one days that elapsed between his first prayer and the angel’s coming.

旧约先知但以理也曾焦虑地等待上帝的回应。在但以理看见大争战那惊人的异象之后，他就禁食并谦卑地祷告寻求上帝（10章3、12节）。然而，在那禁食祷告的三个星期，他没有得到任何回应（2、13节）。最后，有位天使告诉但以理，从他第一天开始祈求时，他的祷告就已蒙垂听。在他祷告期间，天使正为他的祷告而争战。虽然但以理并不知道，但从他开始祷告，直到天使降临的21天当中，每一天上帝都在动工。

The confidence that God hears our prayers can cause us to become anxious when His reply doesn’t come when we want it to. We are prone to wonder whether He cares. Yet Daniel’s experience reminds us that God is at work on behalf of those He loves even when it isn’t obvious to us.

我们深知上帝会垂听祷告，因此当上帝没有照你我所想的立即回应时，我们就会开始感到忧虑，甚至觉得上帝不在乎我们了。然而，但以理的经历却告诉我们，在我们不知道或感受不到的时候，上帝已经为我们这些祂所爱的人动工了。

Lord, help me to trust Your care for me 

even when I can’t see it.

主啊，虽然我感受不到，
但求祢帮助我相信祢必看顾。

Daniel 10:1-14New International Version (NIV)

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.

10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future,for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

但以理书 10:1-14Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

但以理得启示

10 波斯王居鲁士第三年，有事显给称为伯提沙撒的但以理。这事是真的，是指着大争战。但以理通达这事，明白这异象。 2 当那时，我但以理悲伤了三个七日。3 美味我没有吃，酒肉没有入我的口，也没有用油抹我的身，直到满了三个七日。

见异象战惧失色得天使慰藉

4 正月二十四日，我在底格里斯大河边， 5 举目观看，见有一人身穿细麻衣，腰束乌法精金带。 6 他身体如水苍玉，面貌如闪电，眼目如火把，手和脚如光明的铜，说话的声音如大众的声音。 7 这异象唯有我但以理一人看见，同着我的人没有看见，他们却大大战兢，逃跑隐藏， 8 只剩下我一人。我见了这大异象便浑身无力，面貌失色，毫无气力。 9 我却听见他说话的声音，一听见就面伏在地沉睡了。

10 忽然有一手按在我身上，使我用膝和手掌支持微起。 11 他对我说：“大蒙眷爱的但以理啊，要明白我与你所说的话，只管站起来，因为我现在奉差遣来到你这里。”他对我说这话，我便战战兢兢地立起来。 12 他就说：“但以理啊，不要惧怕。因为从你第一日专心求明白将来的事，又在你神面前刻苦己心，你的言语已蒙应允，我是因你的言语而来。 13 但波斯国的魔君拦阻我二十一日，忽然有大君[a]中的一位米迦勒来帮助我，我就停留在波斯诸王那里。 14 现在我来，要使你明白本国之民日后必遭遇的事，因为这异象关乎后来许多的日子。”

整理：于姊妹