Genesis 15:1-6
Verse 6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
God had told Noah they needed to multiply and they listened. One of those descendants through Noah’s son, Shem, was Abram who would later become known as Abraham. After being sent by God to a new land which was to be his someday, life didn’t seem all Abram had hoped it would be. He had imagined that when God said He would make him into a great nation, there would be children in his future but he and his wife were not getting any younger.
Abram had made it to his new land but time had passed and still no family of their own. Even the nephew who had come with him had parted ways with him and so if he thought the nation may come through that relation, he was wrong. With Lot gone Abram figured the next logical person to take on the family legacy was his faithful servant. His faith eyes seemed to be closed.
We can see from the passage today how Abram hadn’t been trusting God for what He has said He would do. In fact, when the Lord comes to him in a vision talking about the a great reward that was to come to Abram, the man tells God he doubts there is anything He can give him since He has withheld children.
Descendants were so valued in those days Abram felt gipped. All around him he saw men who were not living for God and yet they were having families. God had promised he would become a great nation and now it was looking like that great nation would come in the way of many servants instead of a family of his own.
What Abram was missing about God was that His promises are too big to be confined to one little family. God said he would have a son (notice it was singular) and then took him outside and had him look to the sky. Abram couldn’t begin to count the stars as the Lord suggested and the man got the point, no matter how things looked in his life, God was seeing a much bigger picture. God didn’t have to count the stars to know how many there were, and He didn’t need to guess how many descendants Abram would have, He had already had the count throughout the centuries. Abram believed Him, and that was the only step he needed to take.
Making It Personal
What area of your life do you tend to doubt God in? How could trusting He has a bigger plan than what you can see, ease your fears? What step of belief do you need to take?
Making It Personal Kids
How big do you think God is? Does knowing God knows about all the stars in the sky help you remember He knows you too? How well do you think He knows you?
Closing Prayer
Father, we can’t help but be amazed at all You know. Our outlook is so small and so we miss the vastness of Your plans. Help us to see what You want us to know and believe, so we can live into Your plans for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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