God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ exceeds all gifts.

上帝藉着耶稣基督，赐下无与伦比的礼物。

He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 1 Chronicles 17:12

他必为我建造殿宇；我必坚定他的国位直到永远。-历代志上17章12节

My birthday is the day after my mother’s. As an adolescent, I would scramble to think of a gift that delighted my mom yet fit in my budget. She always received my purchases with appreciation, and on the following day, my birthday, she would present her gift to me. Without fail, her gift vastly outshone mine. Her intention wasn’t to diminish what I’d given her; she simply gave generously from her resources, which far exceeded my own.

我妈妈生日的隔天就是我的生日。在我青少年时期，我总是仓促想出一个在我预算之内，又能讨妈妈欢心的礼物。妈妈总是会谢谢我买礼物送她，然后隔天，她也会送我一份生日礼物。每一次妈妈送的，都远远超过我送给她的礼物。妈妈并不是要贬低我给的礼物，她只是大方地按着她能力所及送礼物给我。显然，她的能力远超过我的。

My desire to give to my mother reminds me of David’s wish to build a home for God. Struck by the contrast between his palace and the tent where God revealed Himself, David longed to build God a temple. Instead of granting David’s wish to give, God responded by giving David an exceedingly better gift. God promised that not only would one of David’s children (Solomon) build the temple (1 Chron. 17:11), but that He would build David a house, a dynasty. That promise began with Solomon but found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, whose throne was indeed “established forever” (v. 12). David wanted to give from his finite resources, but God promised something infinite.

我想送礼给妈妈的那份心，让我想到大卫也曾希望为上帝建造殿宇。因为大卫看到他的宫殿跟上帝显现的帐幕之对比，便渴望为上帝建殿。上帝没有让大卫达成这个心愿，但却赐给他一份更美好的礼物。上帝不仅应许大卫的一个孩子（所罗门）可以为上帝建造殿宇（历代志上17章12节），祂还应许要为大卫建立家室和王国。那份应许虽始于所罗门，但却最终实现在耶稣身上，因为耶稣的王位才是真正的“直到永远”（12节）。大卫想以他有限的资源奉献给上帝，但上帝应许赐给他的却是一份无限的大礼。

Like David, may we always be moved to give to God out of gratitude and love. And may we always see how much more abundantly He has given to us in Jesus.

愿我们能如同大卫一样，总是出于对上帝的爱与感恩，心里受感而献给上帝。也愿我们总是能看到，上帝在耶稣里赐予我们的，是那么丰盛无比，远远超过我们所献上的。

Father God, I thank You for Your astounding gift to me in Jesus Christ. Your love overwhelms me.

天父上帝，我感谢祢藉着耶稣基督
赐给我令人惊奇的恩典。祢的爱让我感动不已。

1 Chronicles 17:1-15New International Version (NIV)

God’s Promise to David

17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

历代志上 17:1-15Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

大卫有意为耶和华建殿神不许

17 大卫住在自己宫中，对先知拿单说：“看哪，我住在香柏木的宫中，耶和华的约柜反在幔子里！” 2 拿单对大卫说：“你可以照你的心意而行，因为神与你同在。”3 当夜，神的话临到拿单说： 4 “你去告诉我仆人大卫说：‘耶和华如此说：你不可建造殿宇给我居住。 5 自从我领以色列人出埃及直到今日，我未曾住过殿宇，乃从这会幕到那会幕，从这帐幕到那帐幕。 6 凡我同以色列人所走的地方，我何曾向以色列的一个士师，就是我吩咐牧养我民的，说：“你为何不给我建造香柏木的殿宇呢？”’ 7 现在你要告诉我仆人大卫说：‘万军之耶和华如此说：我从羊圈中将你召来，叫你不再跟从羊群，立你做我民以色列的君。 8 你无论往哪里去，我常与你同在，剪除你的一切仇敌。我必使你得大名，好像世上大大有名的人一样。 9 我必为我民以色列选定一个地方，栽培他们，使他们住自己的地方，不再迁移。凶恶之子也不像从前扰害他们， 10 并不像我命士师治理我民以色列的时候一样。我必制伏你的一切仇敌，并且我耶和华应许你，必为你建立家室。 11 你寿数满足归你列祖的时候，我必使你的后裔接续你的位，我也必坚定他的国。 12 他必为我建造殿宇，我必坚定他的国位直到永远。 13 我要做他的父，他要做我的子；并不使我的慈爱离开他，像离开在你以前的扫罗一样。 14 我却要将他永远坚立在我家里和我国里，他的国位也必坚定直到永远。’” 15 拿单就按这一切话，照这默示，告诉大卫。

整理：于姊妹