Rev Xi An Poon
親愛的家人，平安。
今天我們讀創世記17章，看見神再次向亞伯蘭顯現。亞伯蘭已經九十九歲，經過多年等候，也經過生命中的起伏與軟弱。創世記16章中，他和撒萊曾因為等候太久，用人的方法處理神的應許，結果帶來家庭裡的張力與混亂。
可是，神沒有因亞伯蘭的不完全就停止祂的計劃。神仍然主動向他顯現，對他說：
創世記17:1-2「亞伯蘭年九十九歲的時候，耶和華向他顯現，對他說：『我是全能的神。你當在我面前作完全人。我就與你立約，使你的後裔極其繁多。』」
這裡讓我們看見，神不是等亞伯蘭已經完全，才與他立約；神是在他的不完全中主動堅立祂的約，並呼召他繼續在神面前走向完全。
一、回到神面前，不再停在過去
神對亞伯蘭說：「你當在我面前作完全人。」
「在我面前」是一個很重要的呼召。神不是要亞伯蘭一直停留在過去的錯誤裡，也不是要他活在失敗感中，而是呼召他重新回到神面前。
我們也可能曾經急過、錯過、怕過，甚至用自己的方法處理神的應許。但神今天仍然呼召我們回來。生命的恢復，不是等自己完全整理好才來到神面前，而是在不完全中願意回到祂面前。
二、接受神的約，不再靠自己完成
神說：「我就與你立約。」
這句話顯明，是神主動立約，是神主動堅定祂的應許。神不是說：「你先做到完全，我才與你立約。」神乃是先把亞伯蘭帶進約裡，然後在約中修剪、帶領和更新他。
世界常常說：你做到足夠好，才有資格；你證明自己成功，才被接納。但神的恩典不是這樣。祂是在人的不完全中施恩，也在祂的約中帶領人成長。
三、用單純順服，繼續走向完全
創世記17:17說，亞伯拉罕聽見撒拉要生子時，就俯伏在地喜笑，心裡說：「一百歲的人還能得孩子嗎？撒拉已經九十歲了，還能生養嗎？」
亞伯拉罕仍然有人的反應，仍然會覺得不可思議。但神沒有因他的喜笑而收回應許。神知道人的信心需要成長的過程。
更寶貴的是，亞伯拉罕雖然心裡有不明白，但他仍然順服。創世記17:23記載，他「正當那日」就照神所吩咐的去行。
真正走向完全的人，不是從來沒有疑問、沒有掙扎的人，而是在不完全中仍願意聽神、信神、順服神的人。
總結
創世記17章讓我們看見，神不是等我們完全了才愛我們，祂是在愛中呼召我們走向完全；神不是等我們沒有軟弱才與我們同行，祂是在我們的軟弱中顯明祂是全能的神。
今天，讓我們重新回到神的約中，不再停在過去，不再靠自己完成，也不再因自己的不完全而退後。讓我們用單純的心回應神，繼續在祂面前走向完整、成熟和合祂心意的生命。
禱告
親愛的天父，感謝祢不是等我們完全了才接納我們，而是在我們不完全中主動呼召我們、堅立祢的約，並帶領我們走向完全。
主啊，求祢幫助我們不再停留在過去的失誤裡，也不再靠自己的方法成就祢的應許。求祢賜給我們一顆單純順服的心，在不明白中仍願意信祢，在軟弱中仍願意回到祢面前。
求祢繼續修剪我們、更新我們，使我們在祢的約中一步一步走向完整，活出祢所喜悅的生命。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 17
1 亞伯蘭年九十九歲的時候，耶和華向他顯現，對他說：「我是全能的神，你當在我面前做完全人。 2 我就與你立約，使你的後裔極其繁多。」 3 亞伯蘭俯伏在地，神又對他說： 4 「我與你立約：你要做多國的父。 5 從此以後，你的名不再叫亞伯蘭，要叫亞伯拉罕，因為我已立你做多國的父。 6 我必使你的後裔極其繁多，國度從你而立，君王從你而出。 7 我要與你並你世世代代的後裔堅立我的約，做永遠的約，是要做你和你後裔的神。 8 我要將你現在寄居的地，就是迦南全地，賜給你和你的後裔永遠為業，我也必做他們的神。」
9 神又對亞伯拉罕說：「你和你的後裔，必世世代代遵守我的約。 10 你們所有的男子都要受割禮，這就是我與你並你的後裔所立的約，是你們所當遵守的。 11 你們都要受割禮，這是我與你們立約的證據。 12 你們世世代代的男子，無論是家裡生的，是在你後裔之外用銀子從外人買的，生下來第八日，都要受割禮。 13 你家裡生的和你用銀子買的，都必須受割禮。這樣，我的約就立在你們肉體上做永遠的約。 14 但不受割禮的男子，必從民中剪除，因他背了我的約。」
15 神又對亞伯拉罕說：「你的妻子撒萊，不可再叫撒萊，她的名要叫撒拉。 16 我必賜福給她，也要使你從她得一個兒子。我要賜福給她，她也要做多國之母，必有百姓的君王從她而出。」 17 亞伯拉罕就俯伏在地喜笑，心裡說：「一百歲的人還能得孩子嗎？撒拉已經九十歲了，還能生養嗎？」 18 亞伯拉罕對神說：「但願以實瑪利活在你面前。」
19 神說：「不然，你妻子撒拉要給你生一個兒子，你要給他起名叫以撒。我要與他堅定所立的約，做他後裔永遠的約。 20 至於以實瑪利，我也應允你，我必賜福給他，使他昌盛，極其繁多。他必生十二個族長，我也要使他成為大國。 21 到明年這時節，撒拉必給你生以撒，我要與他堅定所立的約。」
22 神和亞伯拉罕說完了話，就離開他上升去了。 23 正當那日，亞伯拉罕遵著神的命，給他的兒子以實瑪利和家裡的一切男子，無論是在家裡生的，是用銀子買的，都行了割禮。 24 亞伯拉罕受割禮的時候，年九十九歲。 25 他兒子以實瑪利受割禮的時候，年十三歲。 26 正當那日，亞伯拉罕和他兒子以實瑪利，一同受了割禮。 27 家裡所有的人，無論是在家裡生的，是用銀子從外人買的，也都一同受了割禮。
Dear family, peace to you.
Today we read Genesis 17. In this chapter, God appeared to Abram again. Abram was already ninety-nine years old. He had gone through many years of waiting, and he had also experienced many ups and downs in his journey of faith.
In Genesis 16, Abram and Sarai tried to handle God’s promise in their own way because the waiting seemed too long. As a result, Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, and the family entered into tension, pain, and confusion.
But God did not stop His plan because Abram was not yet perfect. God appeared to him again and said:
Genesis 17:1-2 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’”
Here we see something very precious: God did not wait until Abram was already perfect before making covenant with him. God came to Abram while he was still unfinished, still growing, and still needing to be shaped. God established His covenant with him and called him to continue walking before Him toward wholeness.
- Return to God’s presence, and do not stay in the past
God said to Abram, “Walk before Me and be blameless.”
“Walk before Me” is a very important calling. God was not asking Abram to remain trapped in his past mistakes. He was calling him to return to His presence and live before Him again.
We may also have moments when we have been anxious, fearful, impatient, or tried to handle God’s promise in our own way. But God still calls us back to Him.
True restoration does not begin when we have already fixed ourselves completely. It begins when we are willing to return to God, even while we are still incomplete.
- Receive God’s covenant, and stop trying to complete it by yourself
God said, “I will make My covenant between Me and you.”
This shows us that God was the One who took the initiative. God did not say, “Become perfect first, and then I will make covenant with you.” Instead, God brought Abram into His covenant first, and then continued to shape, prune, and lead him within that covenant.
The world often says, “When you are good enough, then you are accepted. When you prove yourself, then you are qualified.” But God’s grace is different. God meets us in our imperfection, and He leads us into growth through His covenant love.
- Obey with a simple heart, and keep walking toward wholeness
Genesis 17:17 tells us that when Abraham heard that Sarah would bear a son, he fell on his face and laughed in his heart, saying, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
Abraham still had a very human response. He still felt that this promise was beyond imagination. But God did not withdraw His promise because Abraham laughed. God understood that faith grows through a process.
What is precious is that Abraham still obeyed. Genesis 17:23 says that “on that very same day,” Abraham did what God had commanded him.
A person who walks toward wholeness is not someone who never has questions or struggles. It is someone who is still willing to listen to God, trust God, and obey God, even while they are still growing.
Summary
Genesis 17 shows us that God does not wait until we are perfect before He loves us. In His love, He calls us to walk toward wholeness. God does not wait until we have no weakness before He walks with us. In our weakness, He reveals Himself as Almighty God.
Today, let us return to God’s covenant. Let us not remain in the past, let us not rely on our own ways, and let us not step back because we feel incomplete. Let us respond to God with a simple heart and continue walking before Him toward a mature, whole, and God-pleasing life.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do not wait until we are perfect before accepting us. While we are still incomplete, You call us, establish Your covenant with us, and lead us toward wholeness.
Lord, help us not to remain in our past mistakes, and help us not to rely on our own ways to fulfill Your promises. Give us a simple and obedient heart. Even when we do not fully understand, help us to trust You. Even in our weakness, help us to return to Your presence.
Please continue to shape us, prune us, and renew us, so that we may walk in Your covenant and grow into the life that pleases You.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Genesis 17
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” 22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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