And [the Lord] brought [Abram] outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
—Genesis 15:5
When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
—Exodus 16:15
In a world of porch lights and streetlights and headlights, it is easy to forget what the night sky looks like. But it is important to remember.
On a clear night, away from all the artificial lights, the sky is breathtakingly beautiful. The moon can give enough light on some nights that we can walk around safely. And—even under a new moon or a cloudy sky—we can be reminded to sing to the Lord with David that “the darkness is not dark to You.”
We can remember that the Lord sees when we cannot.
We can remember that the Lord used the night sky to reassure Abram, who thought that he would have to leave everything to his servant. We can remember that Abram's trust in that moment was trust in the One whom he could not see to deliver a future that he could not see. That future included the moment when Abram asked, "How can I be sure?" It included the failure of faith that led to the attempt to produce the heir of promise through Hagar.
We can remember that the Lord was patient with Abram, giving him time to learn and grow.
Just as He was patient with the Israelites in the wilderness who were fearful about their daily bread. And He fed them anyway. For forty years.
Abram's conversation under the night sky and the Israelites' confusion at the first morning's manna can remind us that what we see is only a hint of what the Lord can do.
His Kingdom (part 2)
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
—Psalm 37:3, 8
And [the Lord] brought [Abram] outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
—Genesis 15:5
When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
—Exodus 16:15
In a world of porch lights and streetlights and headlights, it is easy to forget what the night sky looks like. But it is important to remember.
On a clear night, away from all the artificial lights, the sky is breathtakingly beautiful. The moon can give enough light on some nights that we can walk around safely. And—even under a new moon or a cloudy sky—we can be reminded to sing to the Lord with David that “the darkness is not dark to You.”
We can remember that the Lord sees when we cannot.
We can remember that the Lord used the night sky to reassure Abram, who thought that he would have to leave everything to his servant. We can remember that Abram's trust in that moment was trust in the One whom he could not see to deliver a future that he could not see. That future included the moment when Abram asked, "How can I be sure?" It included the failure of faith that led to the attempt to produce the heir of promise through Hagar.
We can remember that the Lord was patient with Abram, giving him time to learn and grow.
Just as He was patient with the Israelites in the wilderness who were fearful about their daily bread. And He fed them anyway. For forty years.
Abram's conversation under the night sky and the Israelites' confusion at the first morning's manna can remind us that what we see is only a hint of what the Lord can do.