01月07日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:創世記20-22章
第20章主要在講:「亞伯拉罕為亞比米勒禱告」。亞伯拉罕往南遷到基拉耳,他犯了第二次錯誤,說他的妻子是他的妹子,所以基拉耳王亞比米勒,把撒拉取了去,上帝在夢中向亞比米勒說話,警告他歸回人的妻,否則他們都必死,亞比米勒責備了亞伯拉罕,給了他一千銀子遮羞費,因為亞比米勒的妻子和眾女僕都不能生育,於是亞伯拉罕為他們禱告,他們便能生育。
◎心得分享:1.亞伯拉罕雖然是信心之父,他也是會犯錯,而且是第二次犯錯。2.這一章給我們看見了「亞伯拉罕」的信心,他的妻子都還「不能生育」,他竟然能為「不能生育」的亞比米勒禱告,而神也聽了他的禱告,讓亞比米勒的妻子與眾女僕生育。這讓我們看見,為人禱告不是你「有」才能為人禱告,你「沒有」也一樣能為人禱告,神會聽我們代求,讓別人「有」,在別人「有」了之後,神也讓我們「有」了。
第21章主要在講:「亞伯拉罕生以撒」。亞伯拉罕在100歲時生以撒,按著一年前天使的應許,終於生了,在孩子斷奶的日子,家裡就設豐盛筵席,當時「以實瑪利」戲笑「以撒」,撒拉聽到向亞伯拉罕說:要把以實瑪利趕出去,亞伯拉罕憂愁,神對亞伯拉罕說要聽從妻子的話,於是隔天早上,亞伯拉罕打發夏甲走,夏甲水用盡了放聲大哭,天使告訴他不要害怕,以實瑪利的後裔要成為大國,夏甲眼睛明亮,看見了一口井,他就用皮袋盛滿了水,給童子喝。以實瑪利漸長,在曠野成了弓箭手。就在那個時候,亞比米勒看見上帝保佑亞伯拉罕,於是來告訴他要簽定「互不侵犯條約」,因為亞比米勒曾覇佔一口井,亞伯拉罕就拿七隻母羊羔,放手在羊身上,作為他挖這口井的證據,以及彼盟約誓約的井,於是他們就立約,之後亞伯拉罕種了垂絲柳樹,求告上帝的名。
◎心得分享:1.「以實瑪利」的「不識時務」,讓他與他的母親,被趕出去。2.「撒拉」的私心,把夏甲趕出去,上帝也尊重她的決定,畢竟有時需要「長痛不如短痛」。3.「亞伯拉罕」的無奈,神安慰要祝福以實瑪利,並要求他要聽從他要聽從他妻子的話,因為「家和萬事興」。4.「夏甲」讓我們看見,我們只要順服神,雖然我們不配,而且滿腹的「委曲」,神仍然會帶領祝福我們。5.「亞伯拉罕與亞比米勒」讓我們看見,「我們若行的正,神也使我們的仇敵與我們合好」(箴16:7)。
第22章主要在講:「亞伯拉罕獻以撒」。神要試驗亞伯拉罕要他將所愛的兒子以撒獻為燔祭給神,於是亞伯拉罕帶著以撒到山上,正要拿刀殺他兒子時,天使難阻了,告訴他已經通過試驗,神已經預備公山羊代替以撒,亞伯拉罕給那地方叫「耶和華以勒」,之後神應許他的子孫要像「天上星海邊沙」。之後有人告訴亞伯拉罕說他兄弟「拿鶴」後代的情形。這後代是跟亞伯拉罕的媳婦「利百加」有關。
◎心得分享:1.「上帝的試驗」不是上帝懷疑「亞伯拉罕」的信心,而是上帝透過這個「試驗」讓亞伯拉罕,可以成長。2.上帝透過「試驗」向魔鬼誇勝,拜偶像的人可以「獻兒女給假神」,上帝的兒女,也可以做的到。3.凡是蒙受上帝祝福的人,因為「經得起試驗」,才有資格,領受祝福。4.當上帝跟我們要東西,其實不是祂需要那個東西,而是祂需要我們對祂「真誠惟一的愛」。5.亞伯拉罕的「信心」,不是他不相信他「刀子」砍下去他的兒子不會死,而是相信他的兒子可能會死,但是他相信縱使他的兒子死了,上帝也會叫他從死裡復活,這就好像「真正信心不是不相信失敗,而是相信縱使失敗了,上帝也會叫他成功《從敗部復活》」,這就是信心。
今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。