“亚伯兰说：‘主耶和华啊，我既无子，你还赐我什么呢？并且要承受我家业的是大马士革人以利以谢。’” – 创 15:2
尽管亚伯拉罕有很大的信心，他也会因挥之不去的恐惧和疑惑感到焦躁不安。
所以，在创世记15章的开首，神对他说：“你不要惧怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大地赏赐你。”亚伯拉罕感到这话难以置信，因为早在大概十年之前，神已经应许他要成为一个大国之父，但他和撒莱迄今膝下却仍是无儿无女。
我们都能体会应许落空带来的失望；它们会在我们的心里和家庭生活中留下一个痛苦的空白。或许我们听从了神的呼召和凭信心踏出一步，然而我们为衪的国度冒险，却看不到我们所期望得到的果效。在这种情况之下，继续信靠神很不容易。正像诗人发出的呼喊：“耶和华啊，你要到几时才救我呢？”（诗篇 6:3）。
有一个好消息，就是神明白我们的疑惑和恐惧。我们向衪祈求：“主啊，我信，但我信不足，求主帮助。求主帮助我更加信靠你 － 纵使我看不见或不明白你的旨意、纵使我似乎已经等了多时”（参看马可福音 9:24），因这信心的祈祷，衪便慈爱地回应我们的祈求。
神向我们解释，衪的道路高过我们所能想像得到的（以赛亚书 55:9）。而衪所安排的时间也是无可挑剔的 － 总不会过早、也不会太迟。相信这些事实能帮助我们经历到从神而来的安息。
祷告
我们在天上的父，求你今天平静我们焦躁的意念和不安的心灵，无论我们被什么事情困扰，求你帮助我们全然信靠你。奉耶稣大能的名祈求，阿们。
创世记 15:1-6
1这事以后，耶和华在异象中有话对亚伯兰说：“亚伯兰，你不要惧怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大地赏赐你。”
2亚伯兰说：“主耶和华啊，我既无子，你还赐我什么呢？并且要承受我家业的是大马士革人以利以谢。”
3亚伯兰又说：“你没有给我儿子，那生在我家中的人就是我的后嗣。”
4耶和华又有话对他说：“这人必不成为你的后嗣，你本身所生的才成为你的后嗣。”
5于是领他走到外边，说：“你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来吗？”又对他说：“你的后裔将要如此。”
6亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。
When It’s Hard To Trust God
“Abram said, ‘Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?’” – Genesis 15:2
Despite having great faith, Abraham could be unsettled by nagging fears and doubts.
That is why, in the opening of Genesis 15, God says to him, “Do not be afraid. . . . I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abraham was struggling to believe. God’s promise to make him the father of a great nation was now about ten years old, and he and Sarai did not have a child.
We all know the pain of promises unfulfilled; they can leave an aching void in our hearts and homes. Perhaps we follow God’s call and step out in faith. We risk something for his kingdom, but we don’t see the hoped-for results. At times like that, it can be hard to keep trusting in God. Like the psalmist we cry out, “How long, LORD, how long?” (Psalm 6:3).
The good news is that God understands our doubts and fears. He graciously responds to the prayer that says, “Lord, I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Help me trust you more—even when I don’t see or understand your ways, even when it seems to be taking so long” (see Mark 9:24).
God explains that his ways are higher than we can imagine (Isaiah 55:9). And his timing is impeccable—never early, never late. Trusting in these truths allows us to experience God’s peace and rest.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, calm our anxious minds and troubled hearts today. Help us to trust you completely with whatever is disturbing us. In the powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
