
紛爭在亞伯蘭與羅得之間
為了爭奪水和草地
本是骨肉至親
卻不得不做出決定
放棄自我並非失去祝福
反倒因著倚靠上帝反得祝福
今日你我在教會之中
對於紛爭時有耳聞
若非為了真理而爭論
反倒傷了骨肉至親的和氣
造成教會分派結黨
那將是得不償失
有時你我為了愛餐事宜紛爭
有時你我為了禮拜事宜紛爭
有時你我為了事工事宜紛爭
有時你我為了言語意見紛爭
.......
好像大家都有道理
但那絕非真理
太多的自己反而失去原本行事之意義
亞伯蘭值得你我學習
將最好的給予他的骨肉至親
而自己反而得到最終的祝福
人看為好的,在神並不一定是好
唯有神視為好的,至始至終是好
讓你我學習放下自己的視界,
並以神的眼光看事件與世界。
創世記
13:1 亞伯蘭帶著他的妻子與羅得,並一切所有的,都從埃及上南地去。
So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.
13:2 亞伯蘭的金、銀、牲畜極多。
Now Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
13:3 他從南地漸漸往伯特利去,到了伯特利和艾的中間,就是從前支搭帳棚的地方,
And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
13:4 也是他起先築壇的地方;他又在那裡求告耶和華的名。
to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
13:5 與亞伯蘭同行的羅得也有牛群、羊群、帳棚。
And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,
13:6 那地容不下他們;因為他們的財物甚多,使他們不能同居。
so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together,
13:7 當時,迦南人與比利洗人在那地居住。亞伯蘭的牧人和羅得的牧人相爭。
and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. At that time the Canaanites and the Per'izzites dwelt in the land.
13:8 亞伯蘭就對羅得說:「你我不可相爭,你的牧人和我的牧人也不可相爭,因為我們是骨肉(原文是弟兄)。
Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are kinsmen.
13:9 遍地不都在你眼前嗎?請你離開我:你向左,我就向右;你向右,我就向左。」
Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
13:10 羅得舉目看見約旦河的全平原,直到瑣珥,都是滋潤的,那地在耶和華未滅所多瑪、蛾摩拉以先如同耶和華的園子,也像埃及地。
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zo'ar; this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomor'rah.
13:11 於是羅得選擇約旦河的全平原,往東遷移;他們就彼此分離了。
So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley, and Lot journeyed east; thus they separated from each other.
13:12 亞伯蘭住在迦南地,羅得住在平原的城邑,漸漸挪移帳棚,直到所多瑪。
Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, while Lot dwelt among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
13:13 所多瑪人在耶和華面前罪大惡極。
Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.
13:14 羅得離別亞伯蘭以後,耶和華對亞伯蘭說:「從你所在的地方,你舉目向東西南北觀看;
The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
13:15 凡你所看見的一切地,我都要賜給你和你的後裔,直到永遠。
for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants for ever.
13:16 我也要使你的後裔如同地上的塵沙那樣多,人若能數算地上的塵沙才能數算你的後裔。
I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted.
13:17 你起來,縱橫走遍這地,因為我必把這地賜給你。」
Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you."
13:18 亞伯蘭就搬了帳棚,來到希伯崙幔利的橡樹那裡居住,在那裡為耶和華築了一座壇。
So Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the LORD.