信心就是要回應神的呼召
希伯來書十一章8至19節
8亞伯拉罕因著信，蒙召的時候就遵命出去，往將來要得為業的地方去；出去的時候，還不知往那裡去。
9他因著信，就在所應許之地作客，好像在異地居住帳棚，與那同蒙一個應許的以撒、雅各一樣。
10因為他等候那座有根基的城，就是神所經營所建造的。
11因著信，連撒拉自己，雖然過了生育的歲數，還能懷孕，因他以為那應許他的是可信的。
12所以從一個彷彿已死的人就生出子孫，如同天上的星那樣眾多，海邊的沙那樣無數。
13這些人都是存著信心死的，並沒有得著所應許的；卻從遠處望見，且歡喜迎接，又承認自己在世上是客旅，是寄居的。
14說這樣話的人是表明自己要找一個家鄉。
15他們若想念所離開的家鄉，還有可以回去的機會。
16他們卻羨慕一個更美的家鄉，就是在天上的。所以神被稱為他們的神，並不以為恥，因為他已經給他們預備了一座城。
17亞伯拉罕因著信，被試驗的時候，就把以撒獻上；這便是那歡喜領受應許的，將自己獨生的兒子獻上。
18論到這兒子，曾有話說：從以撒生的才要稱為你的後裔。
19他以為神還能叫人從死裡復活；他也彷彿從死中得回他的兒子來。
信息分享
若按照人的習慣和惰性來選擇，人總是喜歡安居樂業、一動不如一靜。然而，神卻呼召亞伯拉罕離開熟悉的家鄉，跟隨祂的指示去某個地方。正如我們先前說過，信心是相信神的話語，然後按照神的吩咐而行。亞伯拉罕便是這樣踏出了信心的一步。
當他憑著信心踏上旅程，途中卻遇到不少困難和考驗。他抵達迦南的時候，才發現那裡已住滿了居民(創十二6)，還發生大飢荒。亞伯拉罕當初如果以為，他跟著神的帶領來到迦南後，就可以輕鬆過活，那麼，他很快便發現自己錯了。神帶領他來到的地方，不僅已有原住民，而且，甚至沒有足夠糧食來供應他的家人。
神應許賜亞伯拉罕一個兒子，但以他當時的年紀，似乎是沒有可能了。他的妻子也年紀老邁。然而，神最終成就祂的應許，使他夫婦倆人在老年得子。
但後來，神卻要亞伯拉罕把兒子以撒當作燔祭奉獻給祂。亞伯拉罕依舊毫不質疑地服從神。希伯來書十一章19節把亞伯拉罕當時的心情描述得很貼切：「他以為神還能叫人從死裡復活，他也彷彿從死中得回他的兒子」。
對你而言，今天有沒有一個處境、一個難題或一個需要，是你覺得沒有出路的呢？只要你將信心，放在昔日亞伯拉罕所相信的同一位神身上，神就會為你開一條出路。信心乃是相信神的話語，並且遵照而行。
禱告：
主啊，我願意立志信靠你，求你賜我信心，將我的一切交在你的手裡。
FAITH FOLLOWS WHEN GOD CALLS
Hebrews 11:8-19
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Message
Abraham was a man of 60 when God called him to leave his home in the city of Ur. In Acts 7 Stephen said that 'the God of glory appeared unto Abraham'. What a moment that must have been. Abraham responded with a great step of faith that lifted him into the ranks of the great men of God.
Common sense would have said 'Stay where you are' but God had called him. As we said before, faith believes what God has said and acts accordingly.
Abraham had some tremendous experiences and tests while he was walking by faith. When he arrived in Canaan, he found the whole country was in the possession of the Canaanites (Genesis 12:6). If Abraham had thought everything was going to be easy, he soon discovered differently. A famine was raging at the time he arrived in Canaan. So the land God had promised belonged to someone else and there wasn't enough food for Abraham's family.
God promised Abraham a son but that seemed impossible at his age. His wife was also too old and she had never borne children anyway. But God fulfilled his word and Isaac was born in their very old age.
But then God asked Abraham to give Isaac back to him as a sacrifice. Again Abraham obeyed without question. Verse 19 is a tremendous verse. The Living Bible puts it very well: 'He believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again; and that is just about what happened, as far as Abraham was concerned'.
Is there a situation, a problem, a need for which you can see no answer today? Then put your trust afresh in the same God that Abraham trusted. Let him work it out for you. He can do it. Faith is believing what God has said and acting accordingly.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
'Lord I turn my life over to you. Help me to leave everything in your hands. '