阅读经文 

政治家往往会向人许下很多承诺，尤其是在竞选期间便更加如此。但当这些漂亮的承诺没有兑现时，我们也不会感到惊奇。事实上，在今天，要找到说话可靠的人，似乎越来越困难。我们很难相信神所应许的，是不是也出于这个原因呢？

然而神亲自向我们启示，祂便是那位立下应许和持守应许的神。透过不断揣摩，亚伯拉罕终于发现，他唯一可以永远信赖的就是神。神是永远不会食言的。

在上古时代，君王时常会与他们的子民立约。这些都是正式的协议，它们包括庄严的誓言和约定，目的是要稳固和维系彼此的关系。

在《创世记》十五章，神以誓约来回应亚伯拉罕的疑惑，祂以此来保证自己的应许必定会应验。在那个年代，誓约通常会采用一个宰杀牲畜的歃血的仪式作为保证。仪式的目的是要说明，如果誓约没有兑现，违约之人的命运便会像那受苦的牲畜一样了。令人惊奇的是，神亲自向亚伯拉罕发出了这样的誓约，祂应许赐福给他和他的后裔。而神也言出必行，正是祂一如既往的那样。

在今天，有什么是你需要信靠的应许呢？

Politicians make lots of promises, especially during campaigns. But we are not surprised when their lofty promises are broken. Today, in fact, it seems to be getting harder and harder to find people whose word is credible. Could that be why we might struggle also to take God at his word?

Yet God reveals himself as the promise-making, promise-keeping God. Through trial and error, Abraham came to discover that God is the only One who can always be counted on. God is forever true to his word.

In ancient times, kings often made covenants with their subjects. These were formal agreements, including oaths and solemn vows, to establish and maintain relationships.

In Genesis 15 Abraham's doubts led to a covenantal response from God, by which God sealed his promises with an oath. In those days, oaths were often sealed by means of a gory ceremony involving the slaughter of animals. This was intended to show that if the covenant were broken, the violator would suffer the same fate as the animals. Amazingly, God made this kind of oath with Abraham, promising to bless him and his descendants. And God remained true to his word, as always.

What promise of God do you need to rely on today?