“耶和华对亚伯兰说：‘… 凡你所看见的一切地，我都要赐给你和你的后裔，直到永远。’” – 创 13:14-15
身为家族中较年长的成员，亚伯拉罕有权优先选取他喜欢的土地，然而他却放弃了这个权力，让侄儿罗得先选。亚伯拉罕关注的乃是更重要的事情，无论是否得到那一部份的土地，他都信靠神必定会看顾他。
亚伯拉罕凭信心把这件事交托给主 － 他不容许他的产业控制他。他因此可以自由地享受神所赐的福，而不会紧紧抓着这些产业或企图攫取更多。亚伯拉罕能够不以世上的事物为重。
出人意外的是，亚伯拉罕所得到的，竟然远远多过他所放弃的。神应许有一天，凡他所看见的一切土地，都归他和他的后裔所有。从这件事我们可以看到，凡是那些为了成就神更重要的旨意而放下个人权力并甘心舍弃利益的人，神会赐给他们尊荣。
亚伯拉罕的选择指引我们去仰望耶稣。为了一个更荣美的目标，耶稣选择放下衪的权力。腓立比书2:6-9解释说，耶稣“不以自己与神同等为强夺的”，为了我们的缘故，衪“反倒虚己”。既这样行了，衪因此得到“那超乎万名之上的名”。你可以确信，神必定会赐福给所有将个人前途交托在衪手中的人。
祷告
主耶稣，感谢你为我们的缘故舍弃你自己。惟愿我们的生命能反映出同样的态度，并指引人看到你对我们每一个人的大爱。阿们。
创世记 13:8-9, 14-18
8亚伯兰就对罗得说：“你我不可相争，你的牧人和我的牧人也不可相争，因为我们是骨肉。
9遍地不都在你眼前吗？请你离开我。你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。”
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。
Trusting God
“The LORD said to Abram . . . ‘All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.’” – Genesis 13:14-15
As the elder family member, Abraham had the right to choose which land he would take for himself. But he surrendered that right and let his nephew Lot choose first. Setting his sights on greater things, Abraham trusted God to take care of him, no matter which part of the land he would receive.
In faith, Abraham turned the situation over to the Lord—not allowing his possessions to possess him. This freed him to enjoy God’s blessings without clinging to them or grasping for more. Abraham was able to hold on loosely to the things of this world.
And surprisingly, Abraham received more than he gave up. God promised him that one day all of the land he could see around him would belong to him and his descendants. From this we learn that God honors those who yield their rights and surrender their resources for his greater purposes.
Abraham’s choice points us to Jesus, who chose to give up his rights for a more glorious purpose. Philippians 2:6-9 explains that Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” but instead “emptied himself” for our sake. And in doing that, he received “the name that is above every name.” Be assured that God blesses all who entrust their future to him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving yourself for our sake. May our lives reflect the same attitude, pointing others to your great love for us all. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
