Abram had just seen his Father pass,

and The LORD told him to leave the land that his Father desired for him. Abram moves, lies about his wife Sarai, leaves his nephew Lot, and is blessed by Melchizedek. Life has just began again, the flood was finally dried up- and The LORD was reaching to his people. God makes his second promise ever, to Abram (before he becomes Abraham.). Abram felt that he had been cheated a little bit. He's been following this God into the unknown and he still has no children to carry on his name. Having a heir back then was just about the greatest thing you could do, Hebrews were very serious about their genealogies and having sons. Abram is like "God I have no one to be my heir, this man who just lives in my house, Eliezer, will have to inherit it. You have given me no offspring.". And then one of my most favorite replies and images was written: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.' And he (God) brought him outside and said, Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be'". Genesis 15:4-5.God has the most beautiful ways of revealing things to us. "Look at the stars, number them". It was impossible for Abram to do that. He had to trust God that he knew the number, and God "counted him righteous because of his faith". It was all Abram wanted, was to have a heir. And God told him that many would be his heir. Although this isn't biblically sound, I could see God and Abram walking amidst the cold night. Abrams toes brushing the sand, God's hand upon his back. I can hear him show Abram the stars, steadily, gently, with intentional pauses, causing Abram to wonder- giving him time to believe. We can't count the stars. Stars were such a wonder in that day, mentioned all throughout the Bible as these things that just screamed God's existence. In the way Christians fall back on the cross, so the Hebrews fell back on the stars. As much as I love and am fascinated with science. Sometimes that knowledge and desire to figure things out, spurs us in the wrong direction. We get stars, we can't count them, but we could give you the laws and equation to figure them out. Stars are this far. It takes this long for a stars light to reach earth. Most of the stars we see are probably dead. Abram didn't see stars as a scientific phenomenon- but the very promise of God. I can imagine during the time Abram was waiting for Sarai to be impregnated he would feel doubt emerging and would quickly walk outside and look at the stars. "I remember these stars, God promised.". God's promises never fail, they are there forever, and they are eternal. We must not try to figure out God and how he will fulfill his promise, but like Abram, believe and cling to that. Tonight I will look at the stars and remember the promise God gave Abram, and remember the promises Jesus gave me.