創世記 24:54-67 (Genesis 24:54:67)

摘要 Summary：第二天，僕人便準備立即回迦南地，利百加的族親不捨她那麼快離開，要求再等十天，但是僕人堅持要盡快上路，而利百加也同意馬上與僕人同去，因此家人們便祝福歡送利百加；一行人到了南地，就是以撒居住的地方，利百加舉目看見以撒在田間默想，僕人便向以撒報告事情經過，以撒便帶利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳篷，然後兩人結為夫妻。The following day, the servant prepared to return to Canaan immediately, yet Rebekah’s relatives did not want her to leave so quickly.  They requested for her to stay for another ten days, but the servant insisted to hit the road at once.  When asked of her opinion, Rebekah agreed to leave right away.  So the family members blessed her and sent her on.  When they got to Negev where Isaac lived, Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac meditating in the field.  The servant reported what happened to Isaac; Isaac then took Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and the two of them got married and became husband and wife.

上帝 God：神是賜人信心的神（徒3:16; 羅12:3; 弗6:23），不論是叫我們得救的信心（弗2:8）還是超然的信心之屬靈恩賜（林前12:9）都是從神來的，僕人和利百加的信心也是神所賜的，甚至家人們給利百家的祝福也是信心的表現。神是主宰婚姻的神，祂安排了以撒和利百加的婚姻，將來祂也要為祂的愛子耶穌預備完美無瑕的新婦！神是安慰人心的神，當以撒在田間默想的時候，神就將他的妻子帶來，他因此從喪母的傷痛當中得了安慰。God is a giver of faith (Acts 3:16; Rom. 12:3; Eph. 6:23); whether it’s the saving faith (Eph. 2:8) or the spiritual gift of supernatural faith (1 Cor. 12:9), they are all from God.  The faith of the servant and of Rebekah were both given by God as well, and even the blessings spoken over Rebekah by her relatives was an expression of faith.  Secondly, God is the God of marriage.  He arranged the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah, and He will prepare a perfect and spotless bride for His beloved Son Jesus!  Thirdly, God is a God of comfort.  When Isaac meditated in the field, God brought his wife to him.  He thus was comforted from his grief of the loss of his mother.

教導 Learning：若是沒有信心我們便無法討神的喜悅（來11:6）；若是沒有信心，亞伯拉罕的僕人便無法在整個招親的旅程上堅定前行；若是沒有信心，利百加便無法立即離開她的家鄉，跟著僕人去嫁給一位素未謀面的陌生人；信心是我們屬靈生命的基石（彼後1:5-7），耶穌要我們將房子蓋在磐石上（太7:24-27），這個房子的根基就是在基督裡面的信心，若是我們的信心不穩固，就好像把房子蓋在沙土上，隨時可能會有倒塌的危險；並且這個信心是活潑有生命的信心，是遵行基督話語帶出行動的信心（雅2:17），而不是只有頭腦知識的死信心。Without faith we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6).  Without faith the servant of Abraham could not persist in this journey; without faith Rebekah would not be able to leave her home at once and followed the servant to marry a stranger whom she never met before.  Faith is the cornerstone of our spiritual life (2 Pet. 1:5-7).  Jesus told us to build a house on top of the rock (Matt. 7:24-27).  The foundation of this house is faith in Christ, and if our faith is not rock-solid, then it would be like building a house on quicksand; the house can come tumbling down at any moment.  True faith from God is also a living faith, one that obeys God’s Word and brings forth action (James 2:17); it is not a lifeless faith with only head knowledge.

感恩 Thanksgiving：感謝主為以撒建立家室，將滿有信心的利百加賜給他為妻，安慰他的心。感謝祢使用利百加的族親再次重申祢恩典的約定，讓亞伯拉罕的後裔蒙大福，能得著仇敵的城門，得勝有餘！感謝主讓屬靈的產業能一代一代地傳承下來，讓屬神的百姓得著上尖下流、連搖帶按的滿滿福份（路6:38），不只是物質的產業，更是屬靈的產業–就是豐盛的信心、敏銳清楚的屬靈分辨力、立即而完全的順服，這些祝福有許多是世上的人看為愚拙、不值一哂的（林前2:14），但智慧之子總以智慧為是（太11:19b; 路7:35）。Thank You Lord for building Isaac’s household, and for giving him the faithful Rebekah as his wife, bringing comfort to his heart.  Thank You for using Rebekah’s relatives to restate Your covenant of grace, that Abraham’s offspring will be greatly blessed and will possess the gates of their enemies, for they are more than conquerors!  Thank You Lord that spiritual inheritance can be passed down through generations, so that Your people can receive blessings that are pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).  And these are not just physical inheritance, but also spiritual inheritance–which are abundant faith, sharp and clear spiritual discernment, and immediate and complete obedience.  Some of these blessings are viewed by the people of this world as foolishness (1 Cor. 2:14), yet wisdom is proved right by all her children (Matt. 11:19b; Luke 7:35).

聆聽 Listening：孩子啊，我愛你，甚願賜福與你，我所賜的不像世人所賜的，你要憑著信心來領受，才能得著；不要注目在那些看得見的、短暫的事物上，乃要掉轉你的眼目來注視我，你越親近我，你就越明白我對你的心意，我對你的愛是超乎你所求所想的，不要選擇那次好，要切慕那上好的，我喜悅把上好的福份賜給你，你願意領受嗎？Child, I love you, and I’m pleased to bless you.  What I give is unlike what people give.  You can only receive if you receive by faith.  Do not keep your eyes on those temporal things that are seen, but turn your eyes to gaze upon me.  The more you come close to me, the more you will understand my will for you.  For my love to you is more than what you can ask or think of.  So do not choose the second best, but choose the very best.  For I long to give you the very best of blessings.  Would you come and receive?

應用 Application：高等教育讓我學會分析經濟效益、按照外部條件做出判斷，這些和其他許多現下看為至理的法則卻是和聖經裡面信心的原則背道而馳，要得著屬天的祝福必須放棄屬世的錯誤價值，否則這些思考模式會模糊我們的眼光，甚至帶我們進入迷惑當中，因為我們以為可以又得著神的祝福，又能同時享有一切世界所提供的安逸。神所要給祂百姓的平安，是在大風暴中仍能安歇的極深平安，這個平安是存到永遠的；而世界的安逸卻是要我們犧牲家庭、健康並承擔極重的工作、情緒壓力才能獲得的奢侈品，這樣的安逸只是暫時的。Higher education taught me to analyze economic effectiveness and to make decisions based on external circumstances.  These and other methods that are esteemed in this day and age run contrary to the principle of faith taught in the Bible.  In order to receive heavenly blessings we need to give up the wrong earthly value system, or else these thinking patterns can blur our sight, and even bring us into confusion.  Because we might thought that we can receive God’s blessings on the one hand, and at the same time receive all the comfort offered by this world on the other hand.  The peace that God wants to give to His people is a deeper peace that will allow us to rest even in great storms, and this peace will last forever.  The comfort offered by the world is a luxury that requires us to sacrifice our family and health to bear the heavy emotional work pressures, and this comfort only last for a fleeting moment.

禱告 Prayer：主耶穌啊，求祢賜我勝過世界的信心，讓我定睛仰望祢充滿炙熱愛火的雙眼和如烈日放光的面容（啟1:14,16）；主啊，我為自己仍然使用世界的價值觀來判斷是非向祢認罪，求主將祢的話語烙印在我的心上，更新我的心思意念，好讓我用祢的眼光來看事物，能愛祢所愛並恨祢所恨，以至我能選擇接受那上好的福份，而不是被那次好的吸引。奉耶穌的名，阿們。Lord Jesus, please give me faith to overcome this world, so that I can gaze into Your eyes of passionate flame and Your face like a shining sun (Rev. 1:14, 16).  Lord, I repent to You for judging right from wrong based on the value system of this world.  Please burn Your Word onto my heart to renew my mind and my thoughts, so that I may see things with Your eyes.  That I may love what You love and hate what You hate, and that I may choose the better part, and not be drawn by the lesser things.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

主題 Topic：選擇信心的道路 Choose the Pathway of Faith

經文 Scripture：創世記 Genesis 18：1-15

主題 Topic：耶和華向亞伯拉罕顯現 The Lord Appeared to Abraham

摘要 Summary：神向亞伯拉罕顯現，亞伯拉罕接待祂，神再次確認明年他和撒拉會生一個兒子，撒拉卻暗笑不信，神指出撒拉心中的意念，並挑戰他們的信心說：「耶和華豈有難成的事嗎？」撒拉雖然否認自己有懷疑，但是神沒放過她。God appeared to Abraham, and Abraham received Him with great hospitality.  Then God confirmed once again that he and Sarah will have a son the following year, yet Sarah laughed to herself with disbelief.  God pointed out Sarah’s thought and challenged their faith, saying, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”  Even though Sarah denied the doubt in her mind, but God didn’t let go of her. 醫治者 Healer

上帝 God：是向祂百姓顯現的神；是不斷堅定祂應許，並增添我們信心的神；並且祂曉得我們深處的意念；祂期待我們誠實面對祂和我們自己。God is a God who appears to His people.  He is a God who will not stop affirming His promises in order to increase our faith.  And He knows our deepest thoughts, and desires us to face Him and ourselves honestly.

感恩 Thanksgiving：感謝主沒有忘記祢對亞伯拉罕的應許，也沒有因為亞伯拉罕和撒拉不信就收回祂的應許；並且主袮用話語一次次地加添亞伯拉罕的信心，使他至終成為信心之父、萬國的祝福！Thank You Lord for not forgetting Your promises to Abraham, and You didn’t take Your promises back despite their disbelief.  Time and again You strengthened Abraham’s faith with Your word so that he eventually became the father of faith and a blessing to the nations!

教導 Learning：要期待主在我的生活中彰顯，不要讓世俗的煩擾、生活的壓力、或五光十色的事物曚蔽了我屬靈的眼光；除了保守自己清心能以見主（太5：8），還要常常讓祂的話語充滿我的心，以免失了信心（羅10：17）。I need to expect God to show up in my life, and not let the worries of this world, pressures of my life, or other shining and blinking objects blind my spiritual sight.  In addition to keeping a clean heart so that I may see the Lord (Matt. 5:8), I also need to let His word filled my heart always so that I don’t lose faith (Rom. 10:17). 立定心志

應用 Application：我的心常被世界吸引勝過被神吸引，難怪我時常信心軟弱；應當關掉電腦，回到神的面前來追求祂自己，越多尋求，就越多渴慕。My heart tends to be drawn by the world more than by God, and that’s why my faith is often weak.  I need to turn off the computer and come back before God to seek after Him.  For the more I pursue Him, the more I will desire Him. 我心切切渴慕袮

聆聽 Listening：孩子啊，我從沒收回我對你的命定和呼召，不要失了信心，仰望尋求我的面，聽我給你愛的呼喚；不要被環境和景況給左右，乃要讓你所觸及的人事物都變成聖的。你是我的愛子，我喜悅你。Child, I never take back my calling and destiny for you.  Don’t lose your faith, but look upon and seek after my face; listen to my call of love to you.  Do not let the environment and circumstances sway you, but make everything and everyone you touch holy.  You are my son, with whom I am well pleased.

禱告 Prayer：主耶穌，謝謝袮的話語加添我心裡的力量，讓我能勝過試探，持守在袮應許的道路上。我雖然有時失信，但主袮總不失信，並且在袮沒有難成的事，袮必會幫助我走過我所面臨的每一個挑戰和艱難。奉耶穌的名，阿門。Lord Jesus, thank You for increasing my inner strength with Your word, so that I can overcome temptations and remain steadfast on Your promised path.  Even though I sometimes lose faith, but You are always faithful.  And nothing is impossible for You; You will help me walk through all the challenges and difficulties that I face.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

今天的QT經文耶穌對富有的官說：「要變賣你一切所有的，分給窮人，就必有財寶在天上；你還要來跟從我。」（路18:22b）這個人聽了耶穌的話之後就很憂愁的走了，因為他捨不下他的財富；這個要求真的是非常不容易，今天的基督徒有多少人變賣一切分給窮人來跟隨耶穌呢？可是如果這個富有的官沒有馬上離開，而留下來聽完耶穌接下來跟門徒的對話，他可能就不會那麼憂愁了；因為耶穌接著說：「我實在告訴你們，人為　神的國撇下房屋，或是妻子、弟兄、父母、兒女，沒有在今世不得百倍，在來世不得永生的。」（路18:29-30）如果看馬可福音就寫得更清楚，耶穌說：「我實在告訴你們，人為我和福音撇下房屋，或是弟兄、姊妹、父母、兒女、田地，沒有不在今世得百倍的，就是房屋、弟兄、姊妹、母親、兒女、田地，並且要受逼迫，在來世必得永生。（可10:29-30）

聖經中有很多真理乍看之下是相互衝突的，其中最有名的包括耶穌所教導的八福，譬如說：「你們飢餓的人有福了！因為你們將要飽足。你們哀哭的人有福了！因為你們將要喜笑。」（路6:21）另外，耶穌不只一次這麼說：「因為，凡自高的，必降為卑；自卑的，必升為高。」（路14:11, 18:14）；除此之外，耶穌曾要求祂的門徒說：「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，天天背起他的十字架來跟從我。因為，凡要救自己生命（生命：或譯靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必救了生命。（路9:23-34）但是在另一個地方耶穌又說：我心裏柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式；這樣，你們心裏就必得享安息。因為我的軛是容易的，我的擔子是輕省的。」（太11:29-30）

所以到底耶穌的門徒是貧窮或富足、飢餓或飽足、哀哭或喜笑呢？會被降卑還是會被升高呢？跟隨耶穌到底是要背起沉重的十字架還是輕省的擔子呢？我想很少人來到教會是因為他們想要更窮一點、更餓一點、更憂傷一點、更自卑或是為了承受十字架的重擔（不是說耶穌已經為了我們死在十字架上了嗎？），所以人們總是要追求富足、喜樂和平安、以及受人的尊重。可是福音的真理就是如果我們自願謙卑地擁抱十字架的苦難，那我們會得著裡面真實的安息；如果我們自願禁食飢餓刻苦己心，神會讓我們的靈裡面得著飽足；如果我們自願將所擁有的財富分享給有需要的人，那神會將今生和來生的富足都給我們。這些逆理性的真理正是天國運作的法則，和世界上的汲汲營營追求功名利祿的成功原則是背道而馳的。

神的心意的確是要讓祂的百姓富足、喜樂、高升、得著安息，但是神不是要一群只會張開雙手說我要、我要、我要的百姓。今天的教會文化有時候會讓我們誤以為自己得到神的祝福是應該的；先知告訴我說神要給我這個工作、祝福我的家庭、加給我這個屬靈的恩賜、幫助我未來的升遷，所以我只要坐在沙發上等待祝福傾倒下來就好了。當我們過於強調信徒所當得的權利 (rights, entitlements)，我們會容易有放縱和不法 (lawless) 的心態和行為；這是一個危險的極端。但是相對的，如果我們過份強調信徒應負的義務和責任(responsibilities)，我們有時候又會陷入律法主義 (legalism) 的陷阱裡面，變得自以為義；而且我們不斷地給出去，卻沒有從神領受祂的供應，最後的結果常常就是心力枯竭。

因此我們需要學習領受從神來的恩典，如何領受、何時領受、還有為了將來預備而領受裝備；而我們同時也得學習怎麼給予，有智慧、有策略性、並忠心殷勤地給予神所託付我們的一切豐盛。學會領受會讓我們成為天父的兒女，不再作奴僕；學會給予則讓我們長大成熟，不再只作孩童。要先學會領受才能給予，但是不能忘記我們領受也是為了讓我們能成為給予的人，因為「施比受更為有福。」（徒20:35b）

Right before this passage in Luke, Jesus was answering a man asking Him to command his brother to divide the inheritance with him.  Jesus used the parable of the rich fool to caution those who were listening to not be overcome by greed, focusing only on earthly possessions.  He ended the parable by saying, “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21)

So I think the following thirteen verses Jesus was explaining how to be rich toward God.  In doing so, He also laid out three different kinds of economic mindsets.  The first type of economic mindset is that of a slave, and this is illustrated in verses 22 and 23, actually the parable in verses 16 to 21 also represent this first mindset.  So the slave mindset is one that worries about the riches of this world, about things to eat and drink, and about self-indulgence.  When the people of Israel just came out of Egypt, they lived in this mindset.  That’s why they complained to Moses, and to God, about having no food, no meat, and no water in more than one occasion.  People with this mindset work to earn money.  They focus so much on the dollar sign because that is what will get them things, things to meet their needs and wants.  Whether they work for others or have their own business, the job does not bring fulfillment to them; rather, it’s the money that brings fulfillment.  And the mark of this mindset is this: worry.  They can make lots and lots of money and still worry.

The second type of economic mindset is that of a child, and this is talked about in verses 24 to 32.  Money doesn’t mean that much at all for children, at least for most of them most of the time.  Parents are the ones who provide food, clothing, shelter, and all the necessities in life for them.  It’s almost like a miracle in a child’s perspective that food…just appears, but most of the time they are not concerned about food.  They live to have fun, to enjoy life, like the birds in the air and the flowers in the field.  Possession seldom becomes an issue with them, as children trust in their parents for all the things they ever need or want.  God was trying to instill this mindset to Israel when they were in the desert.  So He supernaturally provides manna for His people, and they cannot even store the manna for the next day.  The trust of a child is a daily thing.  No worries for tomorrow or the future.  People with this mindset can find fulfillment in their career outside of the amount they make, and most importantly they know by experience that God is the One who provides for them on a regular basis.

Yet God does not intend His people to stay as children forever.  There is another mindset that God wants His people to move into, and that is one of the adult, which is spoken of in verses 33 and 34.  The adult mindset is one that concerns about others who are in need.  Children wait for the parents to provide, and adults step into the role of parents and bring provision.  After the forty years in the wilderness, the Isrealites finally entered into the promised land.  And once they stepped into that land and started inherit the land and eat its produce, the supernatural provision of manna stopped (Joshua 5:12).  God wants to see His people mature to the level where they can apply Kingdom principles to cultivate fruits and other produce from the land they have inherited.  God still works supernaturally among His people, but He wants us to co-labor with Him in tilling the land.  While we lay the groundwork in obedience to God’s instruction to receive supernatural provision as children, as did Israel in following Moses’ commends to pick the manna in a certain way (Exodus 16), as adults, we learn to walk in our designs  and each utilize our different giftings from God to engage in profit-making (hence the first verb in verse 33 is “sell”, and yes, God is not against us doing business).  Yet the adults don’t produce a profit with their own needs and wants in mind, they make money so they can give it to their children.  That’s why parents can sacrifice their own leisure and comfort to make a living and can give the best for their children.  They would rather have the children have the best portions of food and will eat the lesser quality parts themselves.  And in a spiritual sense, Jesus wants us to be parents to those in need, the poor, orphans and widows, and the marginalized (Matt. 25:40).  This is how we can be rich toward God, storing up treasure in heaven.

The important thing here is that we cannot be parents until we learned to be children first.  If we try to give without first experiencing the God who provides for all our needs, then we will fall back to the slave mentality very soon.  Because without that trust in God’s provision, we will grow weary in trying to provide for others through our own means.  While God wants us to become parents, He wants us to first be His children.  Plus we can only give freely to others what we have freely received from our heavenly Father (Matt. 10:8).  Glory to the One who gives everything so extravagantly to show us His love!