牧者心聲
感恩求恩，獻恩再受恩
蕭壽華牧師
2022 年 10 月 15 日 / 16 日
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神愛向祂的子民賜下「各樣的恩惠」，並且「恩上加恩」。祂並不喜悅我們只滿足於已有的恩典，而不去尋求「全數的恩典」。
以色列人進入迦南地之後，取得部分應許之地，但他們因為已得到基本的保障和滿足，又因懼怕強敵，因此就不再前行。約書亞責備他們：「耶和華——你們列祖的神所賜給你們的地，你們耽延不去得，要到幾時呢？」（書十八 3）神深願把天上一切屬靈的福氣賜給我們，但假若我們輕視恩典，不積極尋求，以為那已經是「囊中之物」，那麼我們仍是得不著。
聖經說：「你們得不著，是因為你們不求。你們求也得不著，是因為你們妄求，要浪費在你們的宴樂中」（雅四 2-3）。要得恩典，必然是從禱告開始。但禱告並不是條件，而是讓禱告的人向神開敞自己，表達對恩典的渴慕、對應許的信心。神在所羅門全心獻祭以後，主動邀請他求恩典：「你願我賜你甚麼，你可以求。」所羅門只祈求智慧，以便「判斷你的民」，叫百姓得益處。他「因為求這事，就蒙主喜悅」，主把他沒有求的財富、尊榮也賜給他（參王上三 1-15）——這是舊約中的「你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。」
有一位中學老師感謝神賜他師訓的學歷、教學的能力，然後向神再求恩典：「求你把我任班主任的這班學生賜給我！」他之後就憑著信心藉不同途徑帶領學生信主。有一位弟兄深切渴望自己對神的信心增長，更多懂得在生活的一切事上倚靠主、高舉主，他便向神切切求這恩典，他後來經歷到一些意想不到的困難，但卻深刻地學習了在不同情況下信靠主。又有人尋求在壯年時能更好事奉主的恩典；也有人求主賜恩，好能在餘生更愛主⋯⋯若主今天向你說：「你願我賜你甚麼，你可以求。」你會求甚麼呢？
當人知道感恩，才會懂得求恩。以色列人在曠野中不斷埋怨神惡待他們，他們的「祈禱」其實是試探神、挑戰神。我們若果在缺乏及艱困時仍看出神的各種恩惠，就必會在感恩中叫信心得到堅固，也會放膽再求恩，不單為自己的不足祈禱，更會祈求可以施出恩惠。這也是馬其頓教會的寫照：「他們滿溢的喜樂和極度的貧乏，匯流出豐厚的慷慨（恩典）來」（林後八 2，新譯本），他們感恩求恩，獻恩再受恩。
God loves to bless His children "abundantly" and even with "grace upon grace." God does not want us to be content with just what we have received and not to seek the full measure of His grace.
After the Israelites had entered Canaan and taken some of the promised land, they were unwilling to proceed any further as they had obtained some basic security and satisfaction and were scared of their formidable foes. Joshua reprimanded them: "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?" (Joshua 18:3) God very much wants to give us all of His spiritual blessings. But if we take grace lightly, thinking it will somehow be given and do not actively seek it, then we will still not receive it.
The Bible says, "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:2b-3). The receipt of grace must start with prayer. But prayer is not a condition for grace. It is to make the person who prays open himself up to God and express his longing for blessings and confidence in the promises of God. God has invited Solomon to take the initiative to ask for grace after his wholehearted sacrificial offering: "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon only asked for wisdom so that he could "judge your people" for the benefit of the people. The Bible says, "The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this." The Lord even gave him what he had not asked for — wealth and honor (see 1 Kings 3:1-15). This is the Old Testament version of "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
A secondary school teacher thanked God for his teacher qualification and the ability to teach. Then he asked for God's grace: "Give me, Lord, the class of which I am head teacher!" Then by faith, he made use of various channels to bring his students to the Lord. Another brother earnestly longed for his faith in God to strengthen and that he would better learn to rely on the Lord and lift up His name in all matters in daily life. He fervently asked God for His grace in these. Later, he met with some unexpected obstacles but he deeply learned to trust in the Lord under all circumstances. Yet another person sought the grace to better serve the Lord during his prime; and one other asked for the grace to love the Lord more during the remaining time of his life… Supposing the Lord asks you today: "Ask for whatever you want me to give you," what would you ask for?
When one knows how to be grateful, it is then that he would know he should ask for grace. In the wilderness, the Israelites kept complaining that they were being ill-treated by God. Their "prayer" was really to test God and challenge God. If we in poverty and difficulties can still see God's abundant blessings, our faith will definitely be strengthened in thanksgiving. We will also have the courage to ask for more grace, not just for what we need but also for being able to give out the grace received. This was exactly what the Macedonian churches did: "In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity (grace)" (2 Corinthians 8:2). They were grateful for grace and they sought grace, and they gave out grace and received more grace.
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