The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He 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."
God isn't into small gestures. God goes BIG. The promise God made to Abraham was as enormous the night sky twinkling over Abraham's head. But the promise, like most big things, was also slow. Abraham was already 75 when he began traipsing around the desert as God asked. It wasn't until twenty four years later Abraham and Sarah finally had their son, Issac. (Of course, Abraham did have some other sons running around from his dalliances with the maids, but never you mind that.)
Nonetheless, after 24 years, I imagine that it was hard to keep trusting that God would bless him with descendants as numerous as the stars. It is hard to wait. It is hard to trust. Yet God returned again and again to encourage and cajole Abraham, to remind him of the big-sky in the promise. Today, with the Jews, Christians, and Muslims claiming Abraham as their forefather, I think it is evident that God kept his promise.
We, too make big promises. The promise to love, to raise, to support. These promises, like God's, are lifelong undertakings. They are promised and re-promised and promised again as the years flow by. I am a mere 3 years into the biggest promise of my life so far, my marriage. Mr. Man is a piece of work, but by no means is this promise one that is hard to keep. What is hard is remembering to be grateful for the blessing my marriage is, even as we wait- impatiently- for the new promise of children.
Today, think about all the promises you've made. Take a chance to renew some of those promises. Like God did for Abraham time and again, remind someone you love of the promise you continue to make to them today.
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