先离开，后得福

“你要离开本地、本族、父家 ...... 。地上的万族都要因你得福。” - 创 12:1-3

　　从前作为小孩，现在身为父母，我都经历过离别的时刻。在依依惜别中，有时会落泪，也会彼此拥抱。

　　我们不大知道，亚伯兰和妻子撒莱、和他们的侄儿罗得离开时，他们与人道别的情景是怎样的，但有一件事我们肯定知道，就是神呼召他们，并与他们一起踏上这个旅程。

　　神已经着手进行救赎祂的世界和与人和好的计划了，有关这方面，我们可以从创世记12章中、祂应许赐给亚伯兰的祝福中看到。

　　神往往藉着人来作工，祂要使我们做祂的子民——祂的家、祂的教会，祂要塑造我们成为万民的祝福。神应许大大赐福给亚伯兰和他的后裔，但这些福气不单是为他们而设的，他们蒙召，乃是要叫地上万族因他们的家族得福。

　　当我们想到先离开、后得福，我们同时会联想到耶稣离开天家来与我们同住这件事，祂来是要赐给我们恩典和永生；而这些恩福能临到我们，是因为耶稣首先愿意为我们离开天家。

　　或许你正准备离开某个地方，如果真的如此，愿神赐你力量踏上旅程，无论你身处何地，惟愿你也知道，神希望能藉着你叫别人得福。

亲爱的主，求祢预备道路，让我们与祢同行和同工；每当我们疲倦和失望时，惟愿我们知道，祢必与我们同在和祝福我们，好叫我们能成为别人的祝福。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。

1 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。
2 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。
3 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。”
4 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。
5 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。
6 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。
7 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。

Leaving And Blessing

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household. . . . And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” — Genesis 12:1-3

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As a child and now as a parent, I have been a part of moments of leaving. Tears are sometimes shed. Hugs are shared.

We are not sure what kind of leaving Abram and his wife, Sarai, and their nephew Lot experienced, but we do know that God called them on a journey with him.

God was on the move to redeem his world and to restore people to himself—and we can see that in the promises of blessing that he gave to Abram in Genesis 12.

God works through people, and as he makes us his people—his family, his church—God seeks to mold us as a people of blessing. God promised Abram and his descendants abundant blessings, but those were never meant to be just for them. They were called out as a family to become a blessing to all families.

When we think of leaving and blessing, we can also think of Jesus’ leaving from heaven to come and live with us. He came to bring us grace and eternal life, but these gifts became available because Jesus was willing to leave heaven for our sake.

Maybe you are in a season of leaving. If so, may God give you strength for the journey. And wherever you are, may you know that God wants to bless people through you.

Prayer

Dear Lord, prepare the way for our walking and working with you. When we are tired and discouraged, may we know that you are with us and blessing us to be a blessing to others. Amen.