名字的更改—撒莱
在十七章十五节我们看见，撒拉的名字也改了。“神又对亚伯拉罕说，你的妻子撒莱，不可再叫撒莱，她的名要叫撒拉。”撒莱的意思是我的公主，撒拉的意思是公主。在“公主”前面“我的”这辞指明狭窄；但“公主”这辞指明宽广。撒莱的名字改为撒拉，因为她不是狭窄的，乃是宽广的，要作多国之母。在十七章十六节神说，“我必赐福给她；也要使你从她得一个儿子，我要赐福给她，她也要作多国之母，必有百姓的君王从她而出。”
当神加到我们里面，我们就变得更为宽阔。神若没有加到我们里面，我们不但不完全，并且是狭窄的。虽然你是弟兄或姊妹，但若没有神加到你里面，你就是狭窄的弟兄或姊妹。你这作丈夫的，若没有神加到你里面，就是个狭窄的丈夫。你这作妻子的，若没有神加到你里面，就是个狭窄的妻子。甚么能使我们宽阔？只有神自己。你若要作宽广的人，有宽广的眼光，宽广的心思、心和灵，你就需要神扩大你。
不管我们是谁，只要我们没有神加到我们里面，我们总是说“我的兴趣，”“我的利益，”“我的将来，”“我生命的长大，”“我的寻求主，”“我在教会聚会中的功用”这类的事。除非神扩大我们，我们就不会关心别人。我们的名字原是“我的公主，”必须改为“公主。”我们说，“这是我的日子，我的房子，我的时间，我的这个，我的那个，”这是因为我们缺少神。然而我们一旦加上了神，我们立刻就变得宽广了。
当神加到我们里面，我们不但要成为众民的父，也要成为多国的公主，使神永远的目的得以达成。我们都需要这样的改变。这需要我们老旧、天然的人被了结，使我们变化为新人，产生后裔，顾到许多人，使神的目的因着众民得以达成。为着神永远的目的，我们需要成为“众民的父”和“多国的母。”我们需要变化成为已经繁增且正在繁增的人，并成为宽广且全面的人。
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Confirming the Divine Covenant with Circumcision (4) – Gen. 17:15-16
The Change of Name — Sarah
In chapter 17:15 we see that Sarah’s name was also changed. “And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.” The meaning of Sarai is “my princess”, and the meaning of Sarah is “princess”. The word “my” before “princess” indicates narrowness, but the word “princess” indicates broadness. Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah because she was not to be narrow but broad, to be a mother of many nations. In chapter 17:16 God said, “I will bless her and indeed I will give you a son by her; Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
When God is added into us, we become broader. If God is not added into us, we are not only imperfect but also narrow. Although you are a brother or a sister, if God is not added into you, you are a narrow brother or sister. You who are a husband, if God is not added into you, you are a narrow husband. You who are a wife, if God is not added into you, you are a narrow wife. What can make us broad? Only God Himself. If you want to be a broad person, with a broad view, a broad mind, a broad heart and a broad spirit, you need God to enlarge you. No matter who we are, as long as God is not added into us, we always say things like “my interest”, “my benefit”, “my future”, “my growth in life”, “my seeking the Lord”, “my function in the church meetings”. Unless God enlarges us, we will not care for others. Our name was originally “My Princess”, and it must be changed to “Princess”. We say, “This is my day, my house, my time, my this, my that”, because we lack God. However, once we add God, we immediately become broad.
No matter who we are, as long as God is not added into us, we always say things like “my interest”, “my benefit”, “my future”, “my growth in life”, “my seeking the Lord”, “my function in the church meetings”. Unless God enlarges us, we will not care for others. Our name was originally “My Princess”, and it must be changed to “Princess”. We say, “This is my day, my house, my time, my this, my that”, because we lack God. However, once we add God, we immediately become broad.
When God is added into us, we must become not only a father of a multitude but also a princess of many nations, so that God’s eternal purpose may be accomplished. We all need such a change. This requires our old, natural man to be terminated so that we may be transformed into a new man to produce seed and care for many people, causing God’s purpose to be accomplished through the multitude. For God’s eternal purpose, we need to become a “father of a multitude” and a “mother of many nations”. We need to be transformed into people who have multiplied and are multiplying, and become broad and all-inclusive people.