Psalm 27 (UMH 758)
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 13:31-35
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward."
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."
5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Can you "count the heavens in the stars?"
It seems like maybe our best astronomers still can't.
I love it when God gets a little pointed with Bible characters (but not when he does that with me, of course).
"Look up at the heavens and count the stars -- if indeed you can count them."
A cursory stroll around the internet this morning seems to estimate the number of stars just in our own galaxy at "between 200 and 400 million."
That seems like give-or-take-200-million to me.
I don't think we can count them.
And we're one galaxy of billions in the universe.
There's a lot we don't know.
Like why God would choose a Chaldean herdsman of advanced age to become the father of his people.
Because God does, that's why.
I wonder what God might do today? Do we think he could do anything we don't expect? Do we believe he can act at all?
Genesis says that we should at least entertain the possibility...just like Abram did.
Grace & Peace,
Adam
2 comments:
This is an interesting story, following the reading today I read more about the birth of Isaac by Hagar the servant of Sarai Abraham's wife. That story put into perspective more the passage and meaning behind GODs challenge to count the stars.
GODs challenge was not a literal challenge but one of faith. In Romans we are offered further understanding of this fact :
ROMANS 4:13
"For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith."
Like Abraham i think GOD asks and challenges each day not in the literal sense but one of faith and belief.We talked about temptation last week and that is just one of many ways in which GOD is asking us to COUNT the stars but in reality he is seeking for to acknowledge the stars and the powe of his grace.
that's right --- and I love that God says, "count the stars...oh yeah, you can't." To me, he's showing how much we are not God. We absolutely cannot do what he can do. He loves us, but he will lovingly remind us of our limited humanity. Abram's righteousness, just as you point out, is humility, and maybe biggest of all...obedience. He believes. Faith in things unseen.
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