“I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,
so that if
anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.”
(Genesis 13:16).
Do you remember when God promised to make Abraham the father of many
children
/even though he was an old man /married to Sarah, who was herself
old and barren?
The Lord promised Abraham that his offspring would be
so numerous /that they couldn’t be counted,
saying, “I will make your
offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the
dust,
then your offspring could be counted” (Genesis 13:16).
On a later
occasion, the Lord told Abraham to “look up at the heavens and count
the stars
—if indeed you can count them … So shall your offspring be”
(Genesis 15:5).
I wonder if that second comparison seemed like a bit of a comedown to
Abraham.
* A "comedown" is a term used to describe the
experience of the initial euphoric effects of a drug, or other
potentially addictive behavior, wearing off.
Even though he could see a sky /full of stars—as many as 2,000—
surely the grains of dust on the earth were of a far greater number.
But God had in mind things Abraham couldn’t possibly see.
Science has
shown us that the number of stars in all the galaxies could be as great
as the dust of the earth.
What a tribute to the accuracy of the Bible
and the greatness of God. Look up at night into the heavens and let
every star inspire you to do [what Abraham did] /that evening—he believed
the Lord.
-Pastor Cymbala (excerpted from Breakthrough Prayer)
Read Genesis 15:1-6.