3 月 17 日 预苦期第二周 星期一

(林良敏牧师 谢恩堂)

经文-创世记 15:1-12, 17-18

15 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。 7 耶和华又对他说：“我是耶和华，曾领你出了迦勒底的吾珥，为要将这地赐你为业。” 8 亚伯兰说：“主耶和华啊，我怎能知道必得这地为业呢？” 9 他说： “你为我取一只三年的母牛，一只三年的母山羊，一只三年的公绵羊，一只斑鸠，一只雏鸽。” 10 亚伯兰就取了这些来，每样劈开分成两半，一半对着一半地摆列，只有鸟没有劈开。 11 有鸷鸟下来落在那死畜的肉上，亚伯兰就把它吓飞了。12 日头正落的时候，亚伯兰沉沉地睡了，忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。17 日落天黑，不料有冒烟的炉并烧着的火把从那些肉块中经过。 18 当那日，耶和华与亚伯兰立约，说：“我已赐给你的后裔，从埃及河直到伯拉大河之地，

经文反思

这段经文从亚伯拉罕的疑问开始：上帝真的可信吗？祂能成就赐后裔的应许吗？

上帝以古时立约献祭仪式回应他。亚伯拉罕将牲畜劈开，对半摆放，象征双方订立不可违背的约定。但日落时，上帝独自以“冒烟的炉”和“烧着的火把”穿过其中，表明祂单方面承担成就应许的责任。

希伯来书 6:13 证实上帝指着自己起誓因为没有比自己更大可以指着起誓的。这是一份无条件的约定，完全依赖祂的信实。

同样，上帝必成就救恩和祝福的应许（彼后 1:3-4）。无论阻碍、苦难或死亡，都无法拦阻祂信守承诺。

祷告

神啊，我转向祢，祢是我心中挚爱，我的荣耀与喜乐，困苦时的避难所。

求祢释放我脱离罪恶，医治我，使我能真挚地爱祢，勇敢面对试炼，坚定信仰。

世上没有比爱更伟大的，因为爱源于祢。帮助我以上帝为至高的爱，按祢旨意爱自己，并以祢的爱去爱他人。阿们。 ~改编自甘果士的祷文

应用

1. 默想上帝无条件的爱，以及它对你生命的意义。透过祷告和灵修，与耶稣建立更深的关系。

2. 以怜悯、善良和慷慨来彰显上帝的爱。思考生活中哪个领域可以更充满恩典，让你所领受的无条件之爱在耶稣里流露出来。

17 March The Monday in the Second Week of Lent

(Rev Shirley Ling Camberwell Methodist Church)

Scripture - Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield,

your very great reward.”

2 But 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?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. ….

17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—

Reflections on the Scripture

This passage begins with Abraham’s question: Can God be trusted to fulfill His promise of giving him descendants despite his childlessness?

In response, God instructed Abraham to prepare a sacrificial ritual. Abraham cut the animals in half and placed the pieces opposite each other, forming a path. In ancient times, this practice sealed a binding covenant—both parties would walk between the divided pieces, signifying the consequences of breaking the agreement.

As the sun set, Abraham fell into a deep sleep. Then, a “smoking firepot” and a “blazing torch” passed between the pieces—symbols of God’s presence. Unlike typical covenants, in which both parties walked the path together, God alone passed through, taking full responsibility for fulfilling His promise.

Hebrews 6:13 affirms this: "Since there was no one greater for God to swear by, He swore by Himself." This was an unconditional covenant, dependent solely on God’s faithfulness.

Likewise, God remains faithful to His promises of salvation and blessing (2 Peter 1:3-4). No opposition, suffering, or even death can prevent Him from accomplishing His word. He is a covenant- keeping God. God is fully able to fulfill His promises and always remains true to His word.

Prayer

Oh Lord, we turn to You, for you are the holy Lover of my soul, when You enter my heart, my whole being rejoices. You are my glory, joy, hope, and refuge in times of trouble. Free me from sinful desires andheal my heart from anything that pulls me away from You. Purify me from within so that I may love deeply, endure trials with courage, and remain steadfast in faith.

There is nothing greater than love, for love comes from You and rests in You alone. Help me to love You above all, to love myself only for Your sake, and to love others as Your perfect love commands. Amen.

~ Adaptation of a prayer by Thomas à Kempis.

Application

1. Reflect on God's unconditional love and its significance in your life. Seek to deepen your relationship with Jesus through prayer and devotion.

2. Demonstrate God’s love by showing compassion, kindness, and generosity to others. Identify one area in your life where you can grow in grace and reflect the unconditional love you have received in Jesus.