After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” . . . And Abram said, “O Lord God what will you give me, for I continue childless. . .” He (God) brought him (Abram) outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord…
Genesis 15:1, 3, 5, 6
As golden sunlight slowly fades into the grayness of twilight, so the promise made years ago seems faded and distant. Abram had believed, had given up his home and traveled to a distant, unknown land all because of a promise. Excitement and enthusiasm have been replaced by questions and doubt.
On this journey of faith there will be times when excitement and enthusiasm are long forgotten; times when faith seems overwhelmed by questions and doubt. How does God respond? What does He ask? “Go outside Abram, count the stars, remember the vision, remember the promise.” Just as we affirmed yesterday that this campaign is God’s campaign, so too, we affirm that the vision comes not as the result of a board vote but instead is rooted and grounded in the promise of God. In the midst of our doubts, in the midst of wondering, “Will this really happen?”, God invites us to count the stars, to remember the faces of the children, young people, families and elderly that will be touched because of what we are doing. Remember what this campaign is about; not buildings or bricks, dollars and cents; we are fulfilling God’s promise and vision for ministry and mission. Remember, count the stars!
Questions to consider
Have I lost any of my original enthusiasm?
Do I believe in the vision?
What does God truly want from my church, this campaign and my life?
Prayer
Dear God, I admit that sometimes I forget. Sometimes I get so caught up in the work that I forget the promise and the vision. Help me, Lord, to take the time to remember and like Abram to once again believe. In the name of Christ, Amen.
–From The Journey Begins: Devotional Guide, Scott McKenzie, PhD.
This devotion comes from a series of 21 daily devotions from the devotional guide for our capital campaign. (An earlier message, sent on October 20, 2015, included a message from Fr. John about using the guide as a prayer tool.)