阅读经文 

最近，在我任教的一个高中课堂上，学生们非常热烈地讨论什么是降服（submit）。他们认为降服没有吸引力，而且还可能会导致人们去做出对他们有害的事情。在他们看来，降服对他们自身具有潜在的危险。在某种程度上，他们是对的。降服是有风险的。

今天的故事是关于亚伯兰相信神的话并降服于神的应许，这是一个复杂的故事，它涉及多重文化层面，我们今天很难理解。例如，我们今天不会通过把动物的身体劈开，然后从中间走过的仪式来表达承诺。在《圣经》记载的那个时期，这个仪式意味着“如果我违背了我的承诺，愿我也受到同样的惩罚。”

然而，请注意，亚伯兰并没有像传统规定的那样，从分开的动物中间走过。相反，亚伯兰沉沉地睡了，是神自己在劈开的动物中间走过。这里要强调的是：神才是赐下应许和持守应许的那一位。亚伯兰的任务是相信神的应许，并按照它生活。

相信神会持守祂的应许，能够激励我们顺服祂，并邀请祂来掌管我们的生命。而且，这种生活方式不仅不会像有些人所担心的那样削弱我们的力量，反而使我们完全生活在神的信实和大能的力量中。

Recently in one of my high-school classes, students became quite engaged in discussing what it means to submit. They argued that it wasn't appealing and that it might cause people to agree to things that could be harmful for them. In their view, submission is potentially dangerous. In a way, they're right. Submitting is risky.

Today's story about Abram believing God's word and submitting to God's promise is complex, and it has many cultural layers that can be hard for us to grasp. For example, we don't make promises today by dividing animals and then walking through the pieces. In those days that meant, "If I break my promise, may the same be done to me."

Notice, however, that Abram doesn't walk through the divided animals, as would have been the custom. Instead, Abram goes into a deep sleep, and God passes through the pieces. The emphasis here is on God making and keeping the promise. Abram's task will be to believe God's promise and to live according to it.

Believing that God will keep his promises challenges us to submit and invite him to take control in our lives. And, rather than reducing our power, as some people are fearful of, this way of living brings us to live fully in the strength of God's faithfulness and power.