40 Days of Faith
"Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead,
were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude -
innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore."
Hebrews 11:12
Next time you get the opportunity to go to the beach, take the time to count the grains of sand that you find there. On a clear night out in the country away from the lights as you look up in the sky, turn around and count all of the stars. Scientists can only put a guess as to how many stars there are in the universe. They divide the sky into small quadrants and count how many there are in that quadrant, then they make an estimate based on their findings. I do not know of a scientist or mathematician who has even began to count the grains of sand on the beaches of the world.
Abraham walked out of his homeland looking for a land of promise. He was told that his descendants would equal the number of the stars in the heavens and the grains of sand on the beaches, but at 100 years old he and Sarah had no son of their own. Had God failed him? Had he failed God? No, God was waiting for the time of impossible to show Himself strong. There was no one that could say that this child was of the fruitfulness of Abraham and Sarah. There days of fruitfulness had long passed to the point that Abraham should have been dead, but God had something great in store. When Isaac was born, every one knew that God had intervened.
True blessing comes to the faithful when they have nothing left in themselves and God enters the picture. Abraham had a son by Hagar named Ishmael, and his descendants have most definitely covered the earth. This, however, was not the fulfilled promise. God's promise was to Abraham and Sarah. Through struggles, difficulties, and even doubts they faithfully waited on the promise of God. God kept His word.
Think about this though. Abraham had the chance of seeing his promised son born, but he never got to see the multitude of descendants. He never witnessed on this earth all that God was able to do. To fathom God's power in our lives is like trying to count those grains of sand. It is impossible to comprehend. God truly does more than we could ever ask or think. We believe by faith that God can do great things, and He does the impossible.
May you start counting the stars of blessing in your life today!
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