While studying recently, I listened to a sermon that brought up the story of Abram in Genesis 12–15. In Genesis 12, God told Abram to drop everything and follow Him. Abram did as the Lord commanded, but later on in the story, in Chapter 15, things are not going as Abram thought they would. Genesis 15:2-3 reads:
“But Abram said, ‘Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir go my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ Then Abram said, ‘Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!’”
At this point, nothing is going as Abram had thought it would. He thought dropping everything and following God would provide Him with a bountiful life, more specifically with many children. Abram thinks, “this is not how I thought this would go”. How many times have we had that same thought in our own lives?
I can still picture it clearly from when I was younger: my dad had just brought the golf cart home from the course for the winter. That was always my favorite time of year, because nothing thrilled me more than riding that cart around the house. As soon as it was unloaded off the trailer, I was ready—eager to take off across the yard.
At first, it was pure joy, the wind in my face as I zipped around. But then came the moment I didn’t expect. The cart sank into the mud. I pressed the pedal harder, hoping to power my way out, but the more I gassed it, the deeper I sank. Sitting there, wheels spinning and progress halted, I couldn’t help but think: “This is not how I thought this would go.”
While my story from when I was eight years old may not compare to Abram’s situation—or even to the hardships I’ve faced since then—I believe the same lesson can be drawn from each of these moments.
Continuing in Genesis 15, verses 4-5 say,
“And behold, the world of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward Heaven and count the stars in you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’”
God invited Abram to step outside his tent and gaze at the stars, asking him to try and count them. In that moment, God wasn’t just giving Abram a visual—He was inviting him into awe. He wanted Abram to see that His plans stretched far beyond human imagination, far beyond what Abram could grasp in his own strength.
And the same invitation is extended to us today. God wants us to step out of our “tents”—our limited perspectives, our fears, our headlines—and look up. He wants us to be overwhelmed by His greatness, reminded that He is always up to something far greater than ourselves.
In the early Church, people were rallying together and made sure everyone had the means to live and people were absolutely astonished by the community; they were confused of it, but in awe. I believe that when we stand in awe of what God has given us, we cannot recreate it no matter how hard we try.
No, we cannot count all of the stars. No, we cannot count all of God’s goodness. No we cannot put his unwavering love into words. BUT,
- I can sing.
- I can love.
- I can serve.
- I can give.
- I can forgive.
- I can live in complete awe and be a reflection of His light.
And when I live awe of Him, my life becomes a testimony that points others to the One who is greater than it all.