第十八天（24/08/12)

^“15 皮袋的水用尽了，夏甲就把孩子撇在小树底下， ¹⁶ 自己走开约有一箭之远，相对而坐，说：“我不忍见孩子死！”就相对而坐，放声大哭。¹⁷ 神听见童子的声音，神的使者从天上呼叫夏甲说：“夏甲，你为何这样呢？不要害怕，神已经听见童子的声音了。 ¹⁸ 起来，把童子抱在怀^[a]中，我必使他的后裔成为大国。””
～ 创 21:15-18 ～

夏甲从奴隶变富贵却不谦卑感恩，她的孩子以实玛利也傲慢自大。。。他们因自己的罪而掉入惨痛境遇，然而神却记念这是他忠心的朋友与仆人，亚伯拉罕的骨肉，所以施援手拯救还赐福。

所以，我们作父母的若真爱孩子，就当有智慧忠心于神与常尊荣他，他必记念你的后裔；我们身为亚伯拉罕的后裔又本身自己会忠心于神的，更要有把握神绝对不会忘记我们。

Day 18 (24/08/12)

^“15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she^[c] began to sob.¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation. ””
~ Gen 21:15-18 ~

Hagar was raised from a slave to an honourable position but she was not humble and grateful, her son Ishmael was also arrogant and proud… Because of their own sins, they fell into a terrible situation, however God remembered this was His faithful friend and servant Abraham’s flesh and blood, so He stretched out His merciful hand to rescue and even bless.

Therefore, as parents, if you truly love your children, you should have the wisdom to be faithful to God and always honour Him, He will surely remember your descendants. And we, as Abraham’s descendants and if we ourselves are faithful to God too, all the more we must be fully assured God will never ever forget us.

第十七天（23/08/12)

身为一个基督徒，甚至教会，我们很容易被过去的观念、现今世界局势、潮流和价值观影响；可能因面对压力、为了生活、个人利益关系、要讨人喜欢或怕得罪人等等。。。有时候不知不觉，或者想都没想就妥协了真理的教导或神的旨意。。。

日子久了，就会分辨不出到底是自己的意思、随波逐流，或神的旨意！
难怪保罗会提醒我们：

“不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。”
～ 罗12:2 ～

“更新而变化”是一个持续的过程和行动，所以唯愿我们时刻警醒，常常在主面前诚实检讨与求主光照、鉴察我们的心思意念与动机。

Day 17 (23/08/12)

As a Christian or even church, we can be easily influenced by our past thinking, the current situation, trend and values of the world, probably due to pressures, daily living, self-interests, wanting to please others or not wanting to offend people etc… sometimes without realizing, or without thinking much, we have already compromised the teaching of God’s truth or His will…

After time goes by, we will not be able to discern what is our own will, following the world or God’s will!
No wonder Paul reminded us:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
~ Romans 12:2 ~

“Be transformed by the renewing of” is an ongoing process and action, so hopefully we will always be alert, to always examine ourselves honestly before the Lord, and asking Him to reveal to us and search our hearts and thoughts and motives.

第十六天（22/08/12)

我们印象中的大卫，首先是一名追求神的敬拜者，也知道他是以色列最被爱戴的君王。
今天的我们，当我们提到敬拜者就会想像他是一位音乐人、歌者，或在教会敬拜团事奉的一位团员；而且很多时候，这些所谓敬拜团队的“事奉者”在生命、态度、人际关系上都挺糟糕。。。

固然教会一定有，也应该有所谓的敬拜或音乐团队；但事实上，敬拜不只局限于音乐、舞蹈、诗歌等等，更不是只停留在教堂四面墙里的一种表现。敬拜是一种生命，延伸至你的私人生活、家庭、事业、学业、人际关系等等。。。

单单撒母耳记上第18章就提到三次大卫“做事精明”，而且他还得人喜爱和尊重，这非常值得我们默想、思考和学习。。。

^“5 扫罗无论差遣大卫往何处去，他都做事精明。扫罗就立他做战士长，众百姓和扫罗的臣仆无不喜悦。
¹⁴ 大卫做事无不精明，耶和华也与他同在。
³⁰ 每逢非利士军长出来打仗，大卫比扫罗的臣仆做事精明，因此他的名被人尊重。”
～ 撒上 18:5, 14, 30 ～

Day 16 (22/08/12)

Our impression of David, first and foremost was a worshipper after God’s own heart, and we also know he was the most loved king of Israel.
For us today, when we talk about a worshipper, we would imagine that is a musician, singer, or a member of the church’s worship team; and many times, these so-called worship team members can be quite terrible people in real life, attitude, inter-personal relationship with others…

Of course a church will have, and should have a so-called worship or music ministry; but  in actual fact, worship is not just limited to music, dance, songs etc, and even less just confined to performing within the four walls of the church-building. Worship is your life, extending to your private lifestyle, family, career, schools, relationship with others etc…

Just in Chapter 18 of 1 Samuel alone, David did things successfully was mentioned three times, and he found favour with people and won people’s respect. This is really something worth our meditating, thinking and learning…

^“5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully^[a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
¹⁴ In everything he did he had great success,^[c] because the Lord was with him.
³⁰ The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success^[f] than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.”
～ 1 Samuel 18:5, 14, 30 ~