When educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom, researching how to develop talent in young people, examined the childhoods of 120 elite performers—athletes, artists, scholars—he found that all of them had one thing in common: they had practiced intensively for long periods of time.

教育心理学家本杰明·布鲁姆（Benjamin Bloom）在探讨如何培养年轻人的才能时，以120位杰出精英的童年作为研究，当中包括运动员、艺术家和学者。他发现这些人都有一个共同点，就是长期进行密集式的练习。

Bloom’s research suggests that growing in any area of our lives requires discipline. In our walk with God, too, cultivating the spiritual discipline of regularly spending time with Him is one way we can grow in our trust in Him.

布鲁姆的研究显示，我们生命中任何范畴的发展都需要有纪律。同样地，在与上帝同行的过程中，培养有纪律的属灵生活习惯，定时亲近上帝，是让我们信心成长的一种方式。

Daniel is a good example of someone who prioritized a disciplined walk with God. As a young person, Daniel started making careful and wise decisions (1:8). He also was committed to praying regularly, “giving thanks to God” (6:10). His frequent seeking of God resulted in a life in which his faith was easily recognized by those around him. In fact, King Darius described Daniel as a “servant of the living God” (v. 20) and twice described him as a person who served God “continually” (vv. 16, 20).

但以理将亲近上帝视为首要之务，并持之以恒，为我们树立了美好的榜样。但以理在年轻时，就作了谨慎而明智的决定（1章8节）。他也天天亲近上帝，“祷告感谢”（6章10节）。他常常寻求上帝，使周遭的人能轻易看出他是属上帝的人，像大利乌王就称但以理为“永生上帝的仆人”（20节），并曾两次提到他是“常”事奉上帝的人（16、20节）。

Like Daniel, we desperately need God. How good to know that God works in us so that we long to spend time with Him! (Philippians 2:13). So let us come every day before God, trusting that our time with Him will result in a love that will overflow more and more and in a growing knowledge and understanding of our Savior (1:9–11).

我们都像但以理一样，极需上帝的同在。上帝会在我们心里动工，以至让我们渴慕与祂亲近，这是多么美好啊！（腓立比书2章13节） 所以让我们每天都来亲近上帝，相信你我会越来越认识这位救主，并且让主的爱从我们心中满溢流露出来（1章9-11节） 。

天父，感谢祢，让我们有此殊荣能事奉祢。求祢帮助我们能定时亲近祢，使我们能更深地认识祢。

Daniel 6:10-22    NIV

6 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” ...19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

但以理书 6:10-22

6  但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺，就到自己家里（他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷），一日三次双膝跪在他神面前祷告感谢，与素常一样。 11 那些人就纷纷聚集，见但以理在他神面前祈祷恳求。 12 他们便进到王前，提王的禁令，说：“王啊，三十日内不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求什么，必被扔在狮子坑中。王不是在这禁令上盖了玉玺吗？”王回答说：“实有这事，照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。”  13 他们对王说：“王啊，那被掳之犹大人中的但以理不理你，也不遵你盖了玉玺的禁令，他竟一日三次祈祷。”  14 王听见这话就甚愁烦，一心要救但以理，筹划解救他，直到日落的时候。 15 那些人就纷纷聚集来见王，说：“王啊，当知道玛代人和波斯人有例，凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。” 16 王下令，人就把但以理带来，扔在狮子坑中。王对但以理说：“你所常侍奉的神，他必救你。”  ……19 次日黎明王就起来，急忙往狮子坑那里去。 20 临近坑边，哀声呼叫但以理，对但以理说：“永生神的仆人但以理啊，你所常侍奉的神能救你脱离狮子吗？”  21 但以理对王说：“愿王万岁！ 22 我的神差遣使者封住狮子的口，叫狮子不伤我，因我在神面前无辜，我在王面前也没有行过亏损的事。”

整理：于姊妹