幔利的橡树所在的位置是迦南人有名的敬拜场所，人们在那里买卖货物，向他们的神献各样的祭物。关于这些树和那里的宗教活动有许多故事，所以当亚伯兰搬到附近居住，他筑了一座坛来宣告他和耶和华的关系，这是很重要的。这个地方，正是人们聚集敬拜其他神的地方。
我们可以想像，亚伯兰住在橡树附近时，他可能有用其他方式满足欲望的试探，但他仍然忠心地服事耶和华，神曾向亚伯兰启示，祂会指引他的后代。亚伯拉罕（不再是亚伯兰）就是在这里接待了三个旅客，其中一个就是耶和华自己。那一次，神应许亚伯拉罕和撒拉年老时会生一个孩子，问他们说：“耶和华岂有难成的事吗？”（参创 18章）。
在你生活或工作的地方，也或许你知道这么一个地方，在那里利己的生活方式和献身于神的生活方式可能存在强烈的反差。或许神呼召你在一个每天都挑战你忠实于祂的应许的地方生活或工作——你需要倚靠神的良善才能坚持。唯有靠神的力量你才能站稳，并向他人分享祂的爱。
主啊，我们的神，在你没有难成的事，求你藉着圣灵赐给我们力量，使我们活出圣洁、完全正直的生命。奉我们救主基督的名祷告，阿们。
创世记 13
13亚伯兰带着他的妻子与罗得并一切所有的，都从埃及上南地去。
2亚伯兰的金银、牲畜极多。
3他从南地渐渐往伯特利去，到了伯特利和艾的中间，就是从前支搭帐篷的地方，
4也是他起先筑坛的地方，他又在那里求告耶和华的名。
5与亚伯兰同行的罗得也有牛群、羊群、帐篷。
6那地容不下他们，因为他们的财物甚多，使他们不能同居。
7当时，迦南人与比利洗人在那地居住。亚伯兰的牧人和罗得的牧人相争。
8亚伯兰就对罗得说：“你我不可相争，你的牧人和我的牧人也不可相争，因为我们是骨肉。
9遍地不都在你眼前吗？请你离开我。你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。”
10罗得举目，看见约旦河的全平原，直到琐珥，都是滋润的。那地在耶和华未灭所多玛、蛾摩拉以先如同耶和华的园子，也像埃及地。
11于是罗得选择约旦河的全平原，往东迁移。他们就彼此分离了。
12亚伯兰住在迦南地，罗得住在平原的城邑，渐渐挪移帐篷，直到所多玛。
13所多玛人在耶和华面前罪大恶极。
14罗得离别亚伯兰以后，耶和华对亚伯兰说：“从你所在的地方，你举目向东西南北观看，
15凡你所看见的一切地，我都要赐给你和你的后裔，直到永远。
16我也要使你的后裔如同地上的尘沙那样多，人若能数算地上的尘沙，才能数算你的后裔。
17你起来，纵横走遍这地，因为我必把这地赐给你。”
18亚伯兰就搬了帐篷，来到希伯仑幔利的橡树那里居住，在那里为耶和华筑了一座坛。
"So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron. . . . There he built an altar to the LORD." - Genesis 13:18
The location of the great trees of Mamre was a renowned place of Canaanite worship where people went to buy and sell goods and to offer all kinds of sacrifices to their gods. There are many stories about these trees and the religious practices there, so it's significant that when Abram went to live near them, he built an altar to acknowledge his relationship with the Lord. Abram did this in the very place where people flocked to worship other gods.
We can imagine that while he lived near the great trees of Mamre, Abram may have been tempted with other possibilities for fulfilling his desires, yet he faithfully served the Lord, who revealed himself as the one who would guide each generation. This was also the place where Abraham (no longer called Abram) received three visitors, one of whom was the Lord himself. On that occasion, God promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age and asked: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (see Genesis 18).
Perhaps you live in or work in, or know of, a place where there's a strong contrast between a self-serving lifestyle and a life that's dedicated to God. Maybe God has called you to live and work in a place where you are challenged every day to remain faithful to his promises—and you need to depend on God's goodness to persevere. In God's strength you can stand firm, and you can share his love with others.
Lord, our God, nothing is too hard for you, so please empower us through your Spirit to live a life that is pure and full of integrity. In the name of Christ, our Savior, we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
