3 月 11 日 预苦期第一周 星期二

(官佰佺荣誉会督 神恩堂)

经文-申命记 26：1-11

26 “你进去得了耶和华你神所赐你为业之地居住， 2 就要从耶和华你神赐你的地上，将所收的各种

初熟的土产取些来，盛在筐子里，往耶和华你神所选择要立为他名的居所去， 3 见当时做祭司的，对他说：‘我今日向耶和华你神明认，我已来到耶和华向我们列祖起誓应许赐给我们的地。’4 祭司就从你手里取过筐子来，放在耶和华你神的坛前。 5 你要在耶和华你神面前说：‘我祖原是一个将亡的亚兰人，下到埃及寄居。他人口稀少，在那里却成了又大又强、人数很多的国民。 6 埃及人恶待我们，苦害我们，将苦工加在我们身上。 7 于是我们哀求耶和华我们列祖的神，耶和华听见我们的声音，看见我们所受的困苦、劳碌、欺压， 8 他就用大能的手和伸出来的膀臂，并大可畏的事与神迹奇事，领我们出了埃及， 9 将我们领进这地方，把这流奶与蜜之地赐给我们。 10 耶和华啊，现在我把你所赐给我地上初熟的土产奉了来。’随后你要把筐子放在耶和华你神面前，向耶和华你的神下拜。 11 你和利未人，并在你们中间寄居的，要因耶和华你神所赐你和你家的一切福分欢乐。

经文反思

申命记 26：1-11 呼唤我们在预苦期反思敬拜和管家职分。这段经文提醒以色列人，将初熟的果子献给上帝不仅是一种宗教义务，也是一种敬拜行为，是对上帝所赐丰收的回馈。这段经文还强调了与他人分享祝福的重要性，特别是那些需要帮助的人，如利未人和寄居者，提醒我们我们的礼物是为了造福整个社会。

经文要求以色列人铭记自己的起源，承认“我的祖先是漂泊的亚兰人”，承认他们从游牧到定居在富饶之地的历程。这种铭记的行为要求他们和我们谦卑，提醒我们所拥有的一切都是上帝的恩赐。当我们接受祂的祝福时，我们不应该囤积这些祝福，而应该慷慨地与他人分享，尤其是那些脆弱或流离失所的人。

在四旬期的背景下，这段经文向我们提出了挑战，要求我们审视如何才能体现感恩和管家的职责，用我们的奉献来荣耀上帝，并将祂的爱和供应扩展到我们周围的人。让现在成为奉献的时刻，不是出于义务，而是作为敬拜的行为。

祷告

主啊，当我们走过这个预苦期时，我们铭记耶稣基督--祂的生命、死亡和复活--所赐予我们的伟大救赎礼物。我们感谢祂的牺牲，庆祝我们在祂里面所拥有的希望。就像你赐福给以色列人丰盛的食物一样，帮助我们认识到我们所拥有的一切都是你赐予的礼物。愿我们心中充满感恩，愿我们以基督向我们展示的同样的爱和慷慨来服务那些需要帮助的人。用您的圣灵赋予我们力量，让我们活出信仰，与世人分享您的祝福。奉耶稣的名，阿门。

应用

这段经文强调感恩、纪念和回馈上帝是敬拜的行为。作为因神的恩典而蒙福的属灵流浪者，我

们必须培养感恩之心，承认我们的一切都来自于神。献上我们的“初熟的果子”意味着用我们的时间、财力和才能优先考虑神--把我们最好的，而不是残羹剩饭献给祂。祂的祝福是用来分享的，反映了祂的爱和信实。正如以色列人在旅途中信靠上帝一样，我们也要信靠祂，即使在不确定的时候也要依靠祂的供应。

11 March The Tuesday in the First Week of Lent

(Bishop Emeritus Rev James Kwang            Immanuel Methodist Church)

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

26 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.

5 “And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. 7 Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. 11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.

Reflections on the Scripture

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 calls us to reflect on both worship and stewardship during this Lenten season. The Israelites are reminded that offering their first fruits to God is not just a religious duty but an act of worship, one that involves giving back from the abundance God has provided. This passage also emphasizes the importance of sharing blessings with others, particularly those in need—such as the Levites and sojourner— reminding us that our gifts are meant to benefit the whole community.

The people of Israel are asked to remember their origins, confessing, "A wandering Aramean is my ancestor," acknowledging their journey from a nomadic existence to settling in a land of abundance. This act of remembering calls them—and us—to humility, reminding us that all we have is a gift from God. As we receive His blessings, we are called not to hoard them but to share generously with others, especially those who are vulnerable or displaced.

In the context of Lent, this passage challenges us to examine how we can embody gratitude and stewardship, honouring God with our offerings and extending His love and provision to those around us. Let this be a time to give, not out of obligation, but as an act of worship.

Prayer

O Lord, as we walk through this Lenten season, we remember the great gift of salvation given through Jesus Christ—His life, death, and resurrection. We give thanks for His sacrifice and celebrate the hope we have in Him. Just as You blessed Israel with abundance, help us recognize all we have as a gift from You. May our hearts be filled with gratitude, and may we serve those in need with the same love and generosity Christ showed us. Empower us by Your Spirit to live out our faith, sharing Your blessings with the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Application

This passage emphasizes gratitude, remembrance, and giving back to God as an act of worship. As spiritual wanderers brought into blessing by His grace, we must cultivate gratitude and acknowledge that all we have comes from Him. Offering our "first fruits" means prioritizing God with our time, finances, and talents—giving Him our best, not leftovers. His blessings are meant to be shared, reflecting His love and faithfulness. Just as Israel trusted God in their journey, we are called to trust Him, relying on His provision even in times of uncertainty.