READ Genesis 22:15-18
I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 22:17).
We had driven to Kite Lake at 12,000 feet in the Mosquito Range in Colorado, and started to set up camp for the night. The next day we were planning to climb the 14,000-foot peaks, Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross, that surrounded the lake. The sky was clear, so we decided not to use our tents and instead just sleep under the starry sky. So many stars were visible because of the absence of city light pollution. As I lay on my back in my sleeping bag and gazed at the sky filled with stars, I was reminded of the promise that God made to Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham must have observed such a night sky on many occasions as a reminder of God’s promise.
God told Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 22:18). This blessing to the nations is the Messiah, who has come to redeem for himself a people from every tribe and language and nation (Revelation 5:9). Because they were the offspring of Abraham, the Jews claimed that God was their Father. Jesus told them that if God was their Father, they would have loved him because he came from the Father (John 8:42). Abraham indeed has many descendants through the promised son, Isaac. However, physical descent is not important in God’s eyes. The true descendants of Abraham are those who believe in the promised Messiah.
The apostle Paul told the Galatians that those who believe in Jesus are children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). He said, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). Therefore, no matter your background or station in life, you are a child of God if you have trusted in Christ.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to see the blessing of being a child of God through Jesus Christ.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
