Abraham Counts the Stars

Have you ever tried to count the stars? This is the story of a man who tried, and of a promise as big as the sky.

Long ago, there lived a man named Abram and his wife, Sarai. Later, God would give them new names, Abraham and Sarah. They had a home, and family, and friends. But they did not have any children. One day, God spoke to Abram. He said, "Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you." Go where? God didn't say! Abram would find out on the way.

And God made Abram a wonderful promise: "I will make of you a great nation." "I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing." A great nation means a huge family, with more people than anyone could count. Now, Abram was seventy-five years old. That's a little old to start a big adventure! But Abram trusted God, so he packed up and went.

Off they went, Abram and Sarai and his nephew Lot, with their tents and their helpers, their sheep and their cattle, walking day after day. At last they came to the land of Canaan, with its green hills and rocky paths and wide open skies. There, God spoke to Abram again. "I will give this land to your offspring." Offspring means your children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

So Abram built an altar, a special place to worship God. Years went by. Abram and Sarai lived in tents and moved from place to place. And still, they had no children.

Abram began to wonder. How could his family become a great nation, if he didn't even have one child? Then God spoke to Abram in a vision, like a dream while he was wide awake. God said, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield." A shield protects you. God was saying, I will keep you safe.

Abram told God what was on his heart. You have not given me any children, he said. But God promised that Abram would have a child of his very own. Then God brought Abram outside, into the cool night air. God said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them."

Abram looked up. The whole sky was sparkling. Big stars, tiny stars, bright stars, faint stars. Let's try counting them with Abram. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Oh my, there are too many! Nobody could ever count them all. Then God said, "So your offspring will be." Abram's family would be like the stars. Too many to count!

Abram was very old, and he still had no children. It seemed impossible. But the Bible says, "He believed in the Lord." Abram trusted God's promise, even though he couldn't see how it would happen.

And God was so pleased with Abram's trust that he counted it as right and good. Abram waited, and waited, and waited some more. Years and years went by.

God gave Abram and Sarai their new names. Abraham, which means father of many, and Sarah. And when Abraham was one hundred years old, God kept his promise. Sarah had a baby boy! They named him Isaac, which means he laughs. Sarah said God had made her laugh, a happy, joyful laugh.

And Abraham's family grew, and grew, until there were as many as the stars in the sky. So the next time you see the stars, remember Abraham, and remember that God keeps his promises, even when we have to wait.

This story teaches us that we can trust God's promises, even when we can't see how he will keep them.