Day Seven: Sky Full of Stars (Genesis 15:5-6)

"Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, "look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That's how many descendants you will have!

And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous
​because of his faith."

Genesis 15:5-6, NLT

Let me be honest- after two days of being coralled inside with my crew, dwelling was the last thing I wanted to do after I wrangled them into bed.

Thankful that staying on track was as easy as opening an App, I sat down to read, mind somewhat distracted by the events of the day and my ever-growing backlog of work (two weeks of Christmas break, and now "snow" days. Sigh).

Today's reading was good stuff, but honestly nothing was really sticking out... until the stars. 

I love that God uses the stars as a practical visual of His promise to Abraham.

The stars... what a wonder.
There are so many of them that all that scientists can do is estimate that there are "approximately 1 billion trillion" of them.

And to think.. God made each and every one and knows them all by name.

His promise to Abraham? That his decendants would "outnumber the stars". Wow!


God used today's reading to take me back to a time when He made a promise to me, with those same stars.

One night, a little over three months ago, I sat on a wooden chair on the beach next to my husband. Both of us were extroidanarily quiet that evening, as it had just been confirmed that our house troubles were as bad as originally deemed and we would be returning home to a month plus of chaos. 

Weary and speechless we sat.
I gazed at the stars that pierced the dark night realized that I had never before seen a shooting star. "Lord, that would be cool," I murmured quietly under my breath, then chuckled to myself at how insignificant my request must seem to the God compared to all the other needs in the world at that moment (including my own).

Yet no more than a minute later, a flash caught my eye...

"Was that a shooting star?" my husband asked, completely unaware of the conversation that had ensued between God and I.

I stammered, "Y-y-yeah... I think it was!"

In an instant I heard God's voice, clear as can be, "I'm here, and I care." 

My eyes welled up with tears. The Father knew just what I needed in that moment.

Sitting on the beach that night, so insecure and fearful of what our future would hold, He reassured me that there is nothing in my life that happens outside of His knowledge, and nothing that happens outside of His care. 

God, the Promise-keeper, came through on that promise. Throughout all the drama of ripping half our house apart, dealing with insurance and restoration companies, and everything in between, He showed Himself faithful to meet our every need and be our peace within the storm.

Now every morning as I lie down on my exercise mat and stretch after a brisk, outdoor, 5am workout, I gaze up at those same stars. Every morning starts with a reminder-- I can still hear His voice: "I'm here, and I care." 

I'd be willing to bet that Abram had the same experience.

When plans went awry with Haagar,
or when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac,
and when he buried his wife, Sarah

I imagine Abraham looked up at the stars and remembered God's promise, enabling him to continue to walk in faith despite his circumstances.

God is so practical...
and so, so good.

Have you ever had a "stars" moment? What is a promise God has made to you? 

Dwelling in Him,