Imagine a starry night. A little boy, gazing up and counting.
Counting 1,2,3,100,150,250,500,1000...
Little Abram grew tired of counting. "Too many stars! I can't count them all. I bet Yahweh is adding more to the ones up there just for fun to tease me!"
The little shepherd boy's heart longed to be back home in the safe confines of the family tent. But, tonight was the night of his initiation into learning the trade of his ancestors. His father had sent him with the man who looked after the sheep and told him he needed to stay till he had mastered the art of shepherding.
The desert sand, coarse and unyielding, was not as pleasant as he thought it would be. He wanted to have a cool bath but there wasn't a stream nearby. As the night crept in, so did the chill. Poor Abram! He shivered as he looked up at the sky studded with stars.
Again he began to count. 1,2,3,100,150,250...and stopped. He had heard a rustle in the thorny bush close by. Fearing a snake, he jumped up and peered into the darkness. A sigh of relief escaped him - it was just a lizard! The boy-man went back to counting stars.
Sixty years later, Abram was still looking up at the sky, counting the stars when he heard a rustle. He peered into the darkness. Nothing there! He went back to counting the stars.
"Abram, Abram" a voice whispered in the stillness of the night.
Abram jumped up with terror. He knew that there was no one there. He was far away from the oasis, from his tent where his lovely wife Sarai was probably sound asleep. So, who was this, whispering to him in the dead of the night?
The voice said, "Do not be afraid, Abram. It is I! I AM is speaking to you."
Abram bowed to the ground, hiding his face for he was afraid to die. He spoke in a fearful voice, "What is it, Almighty One? What have I done wrong?" He waited for the voice to speak judgement.
But, instead, the voice spoke gently and told him something that made Abram gasp.
"Abram, I am pleased with you. I have heard your prayers and I am going to answer them. You will have descendents as many as the stars you count every night. So many that you will never be able to count all of them. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand that you sleep on."
Abram jumped for joy, no, not literally, for he was 75 years at the time. His soul leapt for joy. He praised the Almighty for His promises and couldn't wait till the morning to return home and tell Sarai what had happened.
Well, children, it was a long wait but at the crack of dawn, Abram shepherded his flock back to the oasis and told Sarai the good news. They kept Yahweh's promise close to their heart and soon they were blessed with a son whom they named Isaac.
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Tomorrow we will hear his story. Aren't you eager to know what happened to Isaac? I bet you are! Tonight, look at the stars from your window and remember how God answers prayers. MAKE A PRAYER that is dear to your heart. I'm certain it will be answered.
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