Genesis 15:5 God
took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if
indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your
offspring be."
I’ve
just read a fascinating article about an inter-galactic collision that will
take place 4 billion years from now between our own Milky Way and the Andromeda
Galaxy. Billions upon billions of stars will either collide or closely pass by
one another over a time period of more than a billion years. The article is
based upon a study that NASA has released; to even think about such a
cataclysmic event is absolutely staggering to my feeble mind. The astronomers
who have completed their observations, done their research, and completed the
math are amazing scientists. We certainly won’t be on this side of Life when the
collision occurs, so perhaps we will witness it as the equivalent of a divine Fourth
of July fireworks display on a Heavenly scale.
When
God takes old Abram outside to show him the night sky and tells him that his
descendants will be as numerous as the stars, I find that equally amazing and
fascinating. It tells me that when God makes a promise, He not only keeps His
word, but He also blesses and fulfills it as wonderfully as He possibly can. The
majority of the religious people on the Earth today can trace their spiritual
roots to this moment of God’s magnificent blessing. Billions of people – Jews, Christians,
and Muslims - find their religious ancestry in Abram of old. God’s promise,
made thousands of years ago, has found its fulfillment in today’s world. This also
tells me that God not only works in mysterious ways, He also has a great
patience in fulfilling his work of salvation.
Questions for personal reflection
Where do my
religious roots originate? How does my faith sharing with others expand this ancient
blessing?
Prayer: Almighty Creator, when I
gaze upon the stars in the night sky, I am struck with wonder and awe. Your
works are amazing and I feel both humbled and privileged to be a creature of
Your making. May I continue to bless and praise You throughout the days of my
life. In Christ’s Name, I pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian
Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s
message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s
image is one of John’s drawings called “Sleepless Sky.” It features a
beautifully starlit northern sky illuminated with the aurora borealis. If you
would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/7186639110_1bbac69be5_b.jpg
