By Laurie Ness
God said to Abraham, "I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted." Genesis 13:16
God also said to Abraham, at a later time, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them. . .So shall your offspring be." Genesis 15:5
So, Abraham couldn't even see every speck of dust or star in the sky that represented all his offspring, or descendants. Galatians 3 tells us that we as believers are sons of Abraham because of our faith. That means that perhaps his feet once trod on a speck of dust that represented ME! Or YOU! Better-sounding than a dust bunny, maybe on a long-ago evening, as Abraham gazed into a sky filled with shiny lights, he saw the very star representing ME! Or YOU!
Give yourself a minute to think about that! It's amazing, really.
We also learn in Romans 4 that Abraham's faith was credited to his "account" as righteousness. Though he did unrighteous things, his FAITH made him righteous in God's eyes. And, as believers and sons of Abraham, the same thing happens to us when we believe. We are so imperfect and do so many wrong things, but our FAITH is credited to us as righteousness just like Father Abraham! What a splendid work of Jesus! What He did was so complicated and has so many layers to it. But our part is simple. Just faith. We have nothing of our own to offer Him, but He gives us everything. WOW!
Of course, once we have that faith, we are responsible to live it out, amen? That's where it can become complicated for us. Our selfish nature wants to take over and puts up a good fight! But we are told that faith without works is dead. The works don't save us, but they are to be an evidence of our faith.
Is there something you have been feeling you should change? Do you feel a nudging from the Lord to do something you don't feel like doing or that you think is too hard? Is there a person who is difficult to love that you need to contact and encourage? Let's remember that our lives are really not about us. We were made to glorify the Lord! Let's be willing to be a Dust Bunny if necessary, even if we'd rather be a Star!
Less of me; more of You, Lord.
