【双语灵修】亚伯拉罕的后裔SEED OF ABRAHAM

加拉太书 3:13-16, 19

基督既为我们受了咒诅，就赎出我们脱离律法的咒诅，因为经上记着：“凡挂在木头上都是被咒诅的。”这便叫亚伯拉罕的福，因基督耶稣可以临到外邦人，使我们因信得着所应许的圣灵。弟兄们，我且照着人的常话说：虽然是人的文约，若已经立定了，就没有能废弃或加增的。所应许的原是向亚伯拉罕和他子孙说的，神并不是说“众子孙”，指着许多人；乃是说“你那一个子孙”，指着一个人，就是基督。这样说来，律法是为什么有的呢？原是为过犯添上的，等候那蒙应许的子孙来到；并且是藉天使、经中保之手设立的。

10月19日

亚伯拉罕的后裔

“所应许的原是向亚伯拉罕和他子孙说的……指着……基督。” - 加拉太书 3:16

失望常让盼望枯萎。一位祖母祷告多年，孙辈却依然背离信仰；有人辛苦工作几十年，最终仍被解雇；有人在痛苦中挣扎，看不到转机。我们不免质问：“喜乐在哪里？神的应许落空了吗？”

撒拉深知那种心痛。神曾应许她的丈夫亚伯拉罕会有一个孩子，但二十四年过去了，她腹中依然毫无动静。她的笑声变得空洞，继而化为自嘲（见《创世记》12:4;17:17-18:15）。

但神确实赐给了他们一个儿子—以撒（《创世记》21:1-7）。神不仅履行了应许，开启了救赎进程（他的确做到了！），还医治了撒拉的笑声。此外，以撒（名字意为“喜笑”）成了指向耶稣的预表。以撒给一个家庭带来了喜乐，而耶稣则给万国万民带来喜乐。

耶稣降生时，天使欢呼，牧羊人欢欣，年迈的西面和亚拿也满心欢喜，东方的博士前来朝拜他（《马太福音》2；《路加福音》2）。此前，另一个婴孩约翰在他母亲腹中跳动，耶稣的母亲马利亚颂赞说：“我灵以神…为乐。…他…记念亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，施怜悯直到永远”（《路加福音》1:41, 47, 54-55）。

耶稣，这位终极的应许之子，把我们所有的失望和空洞的笑声，都担在自己身上，祂受死并复活，为要医治我们枯竭的盼望。于是，我们可以再次欢笑。

祷告

主啊，愿你让我们常常看见你在耶稣里持守你的应许。我们祈求你医治我们的心，并在耶稣里赐给我们喜乐。阿们。

Galatians 3:13-16, 19

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

SEED OF ABRAHAM

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed . . . meaning . . . Christ. —Galatians 3:16

Disappointment can shrivel hope. A grandmother can pray for years, and yet her grand children may leave the faith. A man can work decades in a job and be let go. People can struggle for years in pain or mental distress, with no relief in sight. We may ask, “Where is the joy? Have God’s promises failed?”

Sarah knew that kind of heartache. God had promised her husband, Abraham, a child, but over 24 years had gone by, and there was no baby in her womb. Her laugh grew hollow, hardened into cynicism (see Genesis 12:4; 17:17-18:15).

But God did give them a son, Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). And God didn’t just fulfill a promise or set redemption in motion (which he did!); he also healed Sarah’s laugh.

In addition, Isaac, whose name means “laughter,” became a pointer to Jesus. Isaac brought joy to one family, and Jesus brings joy for all the nations.

When Jesus was born, angels rejoiced, shepherds rejoiced, old Simeon and Anna rejoiced, and wise men from the East came to worship him (Matthew 2; Luke 2). Earlier, another baby, John, leapt in his mother’s womb, and Jesus’ mother, Mary, sang: “My spirit rejoices in God. . . . He has . . . remember[ ed] to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1:41, 47, 54-55).

Jesus, the ultimate promised Son, took all of our disappointments and hollow laughs onto himself. He died and rose to heal our dried-up hopes. And we can laugh again.

Lord, may we always see you keeping your promises in Jesus. Heal our hearts, we pray, and bring us joy in him. Amen.