Taking time to be with God is the best place to find strength.

花时间与上帝亲近，是得力量的最佳途径。

He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23

祂就独自上山去祷告。-马太福音14章23节

During a concert, singer-songwriter David Wilcox responded to a question from the audience about how he composes songs. He said there are three aspects to his process: a quiet room, an empty page, and the question, “Is there something I should know?” It struck me as a wonderful approach for followers of Jesus as we seek the Lord’s plan for our lives each day.

在一场音乐会上，有位观众问福音歌手兼作曲家大卫·威尔考克斯（David Wilcox）如何创作歌曲。他回答说，整个作曲过程包含三方面：一个安静的房间、一页空白的纸张，及一个问题：“我该学习什么？”真是一言惊醒梦中人，对于我们这些耶稣的跟随者，每天寻求上帝在我们生命中的计划时，这不就是个绝佳的方法吗？

Throughout Jesus’s public ministry, He took time to be alone in prayer. After feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, He sent His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee by boat while He dismissed the crowd (Matt. 14:22). “After [Jesus] had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone” (v. 23).

耶稣在四处传讲福音时，祂会花时间单独祷告。当祂以五饼二鱼喂饱五千人之后，祂要门徒上船渡过加利利海，并使群众散开 (马太福音14章22节) 。“散了众人以后，祂就独自上山去祷告。到了晚上，只有祂一人在那里” (23节) 。

If the Lord Jesus saw the need to be alone with His Father, how much more do we need a daily time of solitude to pour out our hearts to God, ponder His Word, and prepare to follow His directions. 

如果连主耶稣都需要与天父独处，我们岂不更加需要每天都花时间单独地向上帝倾心吐意、默想祂的话语，并预备跟随祂的引导吗？

A quiet room—anywhere we can focus on the Lord without distractions. 

一个安静的房间，就是一个任何我们能专心思想主而不会分心的地方。

An empty page—a receptive mind, a blank sheet of paper, a willingness to listen. 

一页空白的纸张，可以是一颗敞开的心、空白的纸，或是愿意聆听的耳朵。

Is there something I should know? “Lord, speak to me by Your Spirit, Your written Word, and the assurance of Your direction.”

我该学习什么？因此我祷告：“主啊，求祢藉着圣灵、圣经以及祢确实的带领，对我说话。”

From that quiet hillside, Jesus descended into a violent storm, knowing exactly what His Father wanted Him to do (vv. 24–27).

耶稣从那宁静的山上下来，进入了猛烈的暴风雨，并且完全了解祂的父要祂做的一切事(24-27节) 。

Read：Matthew 14:22-36 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

马太福音 14:22-36

耶稣履海

22 耶稣随即催门徒上船，先渡到那边去，等他叫众人散开。 23 散了众人以后，他就独自上山去祷告。到了晚上，只有他一人在那里。 24 那时船在海中，因风不顺，被浪摇撼。 25 夜里四更天，耶稣在海面上走，往门徒那里去。 26 门徒看见他在海面上走，就惊慌了，说：“是个鬼怪！”便害怕，喊叫起来。 27 耶稣连忙对他们说：“你们放心！是我，不要怕！” 28 彼得说：“主，如果是你，请叫我从水面上走到你那里去。” 29 耶稣说：“你来吧！”彼得就从船上下去，在水面上走，要到耶稣那里去。30 只因见风甚大，就害怕，将要沉下去，便喊着说：“主啊，救我！” 31 耶稣赶紧伸手拉住他，说：“你这小信的人哪，为什么疑惑呢？” 32 他们上了船，风就住了。33 在船上的人都拜他，说：“你真是神的儿子了！”

34 他们过了海，来到革尼撒勒地方。 35 那里的人一认出是耶稣，就打发人到周围地方去，把所有的病人带到他那里， 36 只求耶稣准他们摸他的衣裳穗子。摸着的人就都好了。

整理：于姊妹