First Day. Intercession.
第一日 代 禱
“Pray one for another.”—JAS. v. I6.
What a mystery of glory there is in prayer! On the one hand, we see God, in His holiness and love and power, waiting, longing to bless man; and on the other, sinful man, a worm of the dust, bringing down from God by prayer the very life and love of heaven to dwell in his heart.
But how much greater the glory of intercession!—when a man makes bold to say to God what he desires for others, and seeks to bring down on one soul, or it may be on hundreds and thousands, the power of the eternal life with all its blessings.
Intercession! Would one not say that this is the very holiest exercise of our boldness as God’s children, the highest privilege and enjoyment connected with our intercourse with God—the power of being used by God as instruments for His great work of making men His habitation and showing forth His glory?
Would one not think that the Church would count this one of the chief means of grace, and seek above everything to cultivate in God’s children the power of an unceasing prayerfulness on behalf of the perishing world?
Would one not expect that believers, who have to some extent been brought into the secret, would feel what strength there is in unity, and what assurance there is that God will certainly avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him? It is when Christians cease from looking for help in external union, and aim at all being bound together to the throne of God, by an unceasing devotion to Jesus Christ, and an unceasing continuance in supplication for the power of God’s Spirit, that the Church will put on her beautiful garments, and put on her strength too, and overcome the world.
Our gracious Father, hear our prayer and teach Thy Church, and teach each of us, what is the glory, what the blessing, what the all-prevailing power of intercession. Give us, we pray Thee, the vision of what intercession means to Thee, as essential for carrying out Thy blessed purpose—what it means to ourselves as the exercise of our royal priesthood, and what it will mean to Thy Church, and to perishing men, in the bringing down of the Spirit in power—for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
「互相代求」（雅五：16）
禱告中藏着何等榮耀的奧秘！一方面我們看見神在祂聖潔、慈愛、權能中等待着，渴望着要祝福人；而另一方面，一個猶如塵土中小蟲般微不足道的罪人竟可藉着禱告帶下天上的生命及愛住在人的裏面。
然而代禱的榮耀更是何等大！——當一個人大膽地對神說出他對別人之期望時，他尋求神，而神卻賜下祂的永遠生命之無窮大能及一切福氣，不止臨到某一個人，更可能是臨到千萬的人。
代禱！誰能說這不是作神兒女的膽量的最神聖的操練，以及與神交通的最高特權與享受？——也是神所使用的能力，作為工具，為了祂偉大的工作，就是使人成為祂的居所並彰顯祂的榮耀，誰能不認為代禱是教會該用以作為恩典的一個主要憑藉並該盡一切的力量來培植神的兒女，成為這將毀世界不住禱告的能力。
誰不期望信徒们旣已相當進入了這個秘訣將感覺到合一的力量是何等大，同時更確信神將為着祂所揀選的人在祂面前晝夜的呼籲伸冤？只有當基督徒停止尋求外面的合一的幫助而專一地向着寶座，並且對耶穌基督不住的奉獻，不停歇的祈求聖靈的能力，才會使教會穿上彩色的外衣和能力以勝過世界。
禱告：
我們慈愛的父神，垂聽我們的禱告並且教導你的教會教導我們每一個人，使我們知道代禱的榮耀、祝福，也是戰勝一切的力量。我們求你使我們看見代禱之於你乃是你實現你那可稱頌主旨意的路——正如代禱之於我們乃是我們君尊祭司權柄的運用，對於你的教會及將滅亡的人而言乃是藉着代禱帶下滿有能力的聖靈——奉主耶穌的名。阿們。
