“你起来，纵横走遍这地，因为我必把这地赐给你。” – 创 13:17
早上，我在弗吉尼亚州阿巴拉契亚山道的马特溪醒来时，天气又湿又冷。我从睡袋里爬出来，吃了一些冷燕麦片和坚果，装好背包后，又回到了路上。我那天的目的地是庞奇博尔（Punchbowl）庇护站。我走着走着，乌云慢慢地散开了，太阳钻了出来。上午十点左右，天气很好，那时我在默想亚伯拉罕穿越迦南的漫长旅程。
神带着亚伯兰（后来改名为亚伯拉罕）和他的家人从哈兰（在今天的土耳其）来到迦南地（今天的以色列）。神已经对他赐下应许，亚伯拉罕也信神的应许，信靠祂的话（创12:1-7）。
从今天的经文中我们可以看到，神应许把迦南地眼目所及之处都赐给亚伯拉罕。神说：“你去，走遍这地，因为我要将这地赐给你。”神应许要在那里赐福给亚伯拉罕和他的后裔。亚伯拉罕就住在那地，事奉耶和华。
当我到达庞奇博尔（Punchbowl）庇护站时，我感谢有亚伯拉罕这个榜样。神可能不会呼召我们每个人穿山越岭，但祂确实呼召我们各人以信心和忠诚跟随祂。藉着亚伯拉罕的后裔耶稣，上帝成就了祂对我们众人的应许。
祷告
主耶稣，求你赐给我们信心和忠心，信靠你的带领，来跟从你向前行。阿们。
创世记 13:14-18
14罗得离别亚伯兰以后，耶和华对亚伯兰说：“从你所在的地方，你举目向东西南北观看，
15凡你所看见的一切地，我都要赐给你和你的后裔，直到永远。
16我也要使你的后裔如同地上的尘沙那样多，人若能数算地上的尘沙，才能数算你的后裔。
17你起来，纵横走遍这地，因为我必把这地赐给你。”
18亚伯兰就搬了帐篷，来到希伯仑幔利的橡树那里居住，在那里为耶和华筑了一座坛。
Go, Walk!
“Go, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” – Genesis 13:17
It was damp and cold when I woke in the morning at Matt’s Creek on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. After crawling out of my sleeping bag, eating some cold oatmeal with nuts, and loading my pack, I was back on the trail. My destination for that day was the Punchbowl Shelter. As I walked, the clouds slowly drifted away and the sun broke through. By mid-morning it was a lovely day, and I was thinking about Abraham’s long walk through Canaan.
God had brought Abram (whom he later renamed Abraham) and his household on a long journey from Harran (in present-day Turkey) to the land of Canaan (present-day Israel). God had made promises, and Abraham had trusted God, taking him at his word (Genesis 12:1-7).
As we can see in today’s passage, God promised to give Abraham all of the land that he could see around him in Canaan. And God said, “Go, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants there, and Abraham settled in that land and worshiped the Lord.
As I reached Punchbowl Shelter, I gave thanks for Abraham’s example. God might not call us to journey on foot, but he does call each of us to follow him in faith and faithfulness. And through Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, God keeps his promises to us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, give us the faith and faithfulness to follow where you lead, trusting in you. Amen.
