【双语灵修】跟随神的呼召THE CALL TO FOLLOW

创世记 12:1-8

耶和华对亚伯兰说：“你要离开本地、本族、父家，往我所要指示你的地去。 我必叫你成为大国，我必赐福给你，叫你的名为大，你也要叫别人得福。 为你祝福的，我必赐福于他；那咒诅你的，我必咒诅他。地上的万族都要因你得福。” 亚伯兰就照着耶和华的吩咐去了，罗得也和他同去。亚伯兰出哈兰的时候年七十五岁。 亚伯兰将他妻子撒莱和侄儿罗得，连他们在哈兰所积蓄的财物、所得的人口，都带往迦南地去。他们就到了迦南地。 亚伯兰经过那地，到了示剑地方，摩利橡树那里。那时，迦南人住在那地。 耶和华向亚伯兰显现，说：“我要把这地赐给你的后裔。”亚伯兰就在那里为向他显现的耶和华筑了一座坛。 从那里他又迁到伯特利东边的山，支搭帐篷。西边是伯特利，东边是艾。他在那里又为耶和华筑了一座坛，求告耶和华的名。

星期五

三月六日

跟随神的呼召

“‘你要离开本地、本族、父家，往我所要指示你的地去。’” - 创 12:1

亚伯兰和撒莱将要成为神立约和救赎计划故事的关键人物。

我们第一次接触这对夫妇时，他们没有孩子（《创世记 》 11:30）。在那个年代，夫妇若不能生孩子，通常会被视为神没有赐福给他们的征兆。其实这个想法是错误的。

神呼召亚伯兰，往神所要指示他去的地方，《圣经》没有清楚告诉我们是什么原因—然而是神自己采取行动，开始了这个关系。神应许赐福给亚伯兰，使他和撒莱成为大国，而下一步就是跟随神的指示前进，这样做必定很不容易呢。

亚伯兰蒙召离开他的国家、他的族人和他的父家。他需要放下所有能为他提供安定生活和安全感的事物。

他们要往哪里去？神没有说清楚，但祂应许会指示他们的。信靠神的呼召，领他们走上一条将会完全改变他们一生的程途。

在踏上旅程前，我们会想知道我们要往哪里去和怎样安全抵达目的地。然而当神呼召时，往往需要凭信心踏上第一步。神呼召我们信靠祂，而不是信靠那些我们已经拥有或熟识的事物，祂的信实是一份只有张开双手靠赖祂才能得到的礼物。

祷告

主啊，惟愿我们以张开的手和敞开的心来到你面前。求你帮助我们信靠你，因为我们知道我们所有的，归根究底都是从你而来的，阿们。

Genesis 12:1-8

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

THE CALL TO FOLLOW

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” —Genesis 12:1

Abram and Sarai will become key figures in the story of God’s covenant and his plan for salvation.

When we first meet this couple, they do not have children (Genesis 11:30). In those days, if a couple could not have a child, that was usually seen as a sign that God had chosen not to bless them. But that was a mistaken notion.

God called Abram to go to another land that God would show him. We aren’t told exactly why—but the initial step in this relationship came from God, who promised to bless Abram and to make him and Sarai into a great nation, and the next step was to follow where God would lead. But that could not have been easy.

Abram was told to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. All that he had known for providing a level of security and safety was to be left behind.

Where would they go? God didn’t say, but he did promise to show them. Trusting in the call of God would place them on a journey that would totally change their lives.

When we head out on a journey, we like to know where we are going and how we can get there safely. Yet when God calls, there is usually a step of faith involved. God calls us to put our trust in him and not in what we already have or know. And his faithfulness is a gift that can only be received by hands open to him.

Lord, may we come to you with open hands and hearts. Help us to rely on you, knowing that all we have is ultimately from you. Amen.