Genesis 15:1-6 (NRSV)
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Chapter 15After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."
Verse 2But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" Verse 3And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." Verse 4But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." Verse 5He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." Verse 6And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Devotion
After reassuring the agitated Abram, God invited him outside to do a little stargazing. If the old man could count the stars, he was told, he would have some notion of how far-reaching God's blessing would be. Abram's descendants—among which we number ourselves—are heirs to that original promise. As heirs we are both blessed and obliged to share that inheritance with others. Count the stars and count your blessings. But even more, count yourself lucky that God's promise is both present and coming.
Prayer
How good, Lord, to be here—your glory fills the night. Give us a restful night; but also grant us a day full of grace and service in your sight. Amen.