- Resting 休息 (1)
Resting in the afternoon is a normal practice in the East, and don’t forget that Abraham was nearly a hundred years old. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is take a nap! The believer’s body is God’s temple and must be cared for (1 Cor. 6:19–20). (See Mark 6:31.)
午休是在东方是常见的习惯，且不要忘了亚伯拉罕此时已近一百岁了。有时，最属灵的事莫过于小憩了！信徒的身子就是圣灵的殿，我们必须好好照顾自己（林前6:19-20；见可6:31）。
- Serving 事奉 (2–8)
Abraham had no trouble noticing the pilgrims because it was unusual for people to travel in the heat of the day. The visitors were two angels and the Lord Jesus Christ, in one of His preincarnation appearances. Even though he had 318 servants, Abraham served Him personally, and fourteen times he called Him “Lord.” Abraham ran from place to place to make certain the meal they were preparing was the very best.
亚伯拉罕立即注意到这些客旅，因为人们在大热天出行并不常见。这拜访者就是两位天使和主耶稣基督（基督降世之前的化身）。尽管亚伯拉罕有318个仆人，他仍然亲自接待，更14次称他为“主”。亚伯拉罕忙忙碌碌的，就是为了确保他们所准备的饭菜是最好的。
- Listening 聆听 (9–15)
Abraham stood nearby as the visitors ate, ready to serve them whatever they wanted. But the Lord gave Abraham something better than food: He announced that the promised son would be born within the year. “Where is Sarah your wife?” is the last of three key questions in Genesis (3:9; 4:9; 18:9). The question “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” has been answered by Job (Job 42:2), Jeremiah (Jer. 32:17), and Gabriel (Luke 1:37).
亚伯拉罕站在客旅的身边，随时侍候他们。然，主赐给亚伯拉罕的比食物更好：祂宣告，那位应许之子将在一年内诞生。“你妻子撒拉在那里？”是《创世记》中三个关键问题的最后一个（3:9，4:9，18:9）。“耶和华岂有难成的事？”这个问题已通过约伯（伯42:2）、耶利米（耶32:17）和加百列（路1:37）解答了。
- Interceding 代祷 (16–33)
Because Abraham was both the friend of God and the servant of God, he shared God’s secrets. (See Ps. 25:14; John 15:15; James 2:23.) Lot had been rescued by Abraham’s intervention (chap. 14); now he would be rescued by Abraham’s intercession. Abraham prayed for the city on the basis of the justice of God, but God saved Lot on the basis of His mercy and grace (19:16, 19). Interceding for the lost and for needy saints is a high and holy privilege that we must not neglect.
由于亚伯拉罕既是神的朋友，又是神的仆人，所以神与他分享祂的心意（见诗25:14；约15:15；各2:23）。罗得曾经因亚伯拉罕的介入获救（14章）；现在他将因亚伯拉罕的祷告再次存活。亚伯拉罕按神的公义为全城祷告，但神却因着祂自己的怜悯和恩典拯救罗得（19:16，19）。为迷失和有需要的圣徒代祷，是我们不能忽视的一个崇高和神圣的特权。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- When Abraham and Sarah were “as good as dead,” God gave them a child. At that time, it was crystal clear that there is nothing they could do but to trust God. How many times does the Lord have to bring us to such a situation in order for us to learn the lesson of trusting God? The Bible asks, “Is anything too hard for the LORD? (Gen 18:14) Obviously not. Let’s pray that we don’t have to be in this dire situation to learn this lesson.
当亚伯拉罕和撒拉的身子“如同死了”时，神赐给他们一个孩子。那时候，他们很清楚：除了相信神，他们什么都不能做。神到底还需要多少次把我们带到这种处境，我们才会学习信靠神呢？圣经问:“耶和华岂有难成的事？”（创18:14）显然没有。让我们祷告，叫我们无需沦落到如此局面才学会信靠神。
- Sometime we wonder why God chose Abraham to be the father of faith? Gen18:19 gives us the reason: “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” (Gen 18:19) The Lord chose Abraham and wanted him to COMMAND his children and household to keep God’s command. Abraham is willing. How about us? Let’s pray that we are willing.
有的时候，我们或许会想神为什么会拣选亚伯拉罕作信心之父呢？《创世纪》18章19节告诉我们原因：“我眷顾他，为要叫他吩咐他的众子和他的眷属遵守我的道，秉公行义，使我所应许亚伯拉罕的话都成就了。”主拣选了亚伯拉罕，并要他吩咐他的孩子和家庭遵守神的命令。亚伯拉罕愿意这么做；我们呢？让我们祷告我们也会愿意那么做。
- How did Abraham pray for the city God was going to punish? He knew God and relied on God’s nature, character (righteousness) and promise to pray for them. (Gen 18:25) Do you know God enough to pray for the people around you?
亚伯拉罕是如何为这些神将要惩罚的城市祷告呢？他真正认识神，并依照神的本性、属性（公义）和应许为他们祷告（创18:25）。你是否足够认识神，使你可以为身边的人祷告呢？
