Stars

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “... 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.”  Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15:4-6. 

Of course, it began for Abraham with one “star,” Isaac.  And from Isaac came the next generation, 12 more glowing points of light.  Add 70 great-grandkids and Abraham was already up to 83 radiant descendants in just three short generations.  And it all began when “the word of the Lord came to him.” 

It is through Abraham’s offspring, actually, that the “Word” of the Lord has come to all of us now – this time as one of us, Jesus Christ, the Son of God shining through human frame.  He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being¹, for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him².  “In him was life,” writes John, “and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). 

Should it surprise us then that we who are Abraham's descendants through faith in Christ are called "the light of the world"³?  And for a purpose!  Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  

So we “shine like stars in the universe,” says Paul, as we “hold out the word of life” (Philippians 3:15, 16).  What might that look like today? 

Will we speak peace to one in turmoil and care to the afflicted? 
Will we project hope to one in despair and empathy to the hurting? 
Will we speak truth to one who is deceived and grace in place of judgment? 
Will we call out the way to one groping in darkness, as others have led us? 
Will we forgive as we have been forgiven and restore relationships?  
Will we show care to one downtrodden and intervene with justice?  
Will we hold out the word of life, eternal life in the “Word”? 

The fact of the matter is, we don’t know how God will use us today.  And when the day is done, we likely still won’t know all the ways God used us for his glory.  But if we go where he sends us, speak as he inspires us, love as he loves us, serve as he has served us ... our today will matter to someone.  

From us a light will shine.  It will be his.  

[Click here to see the today’s Scripture in John 1:1-8.]

¹ Hebrews 1:3
² Colossians 1:19
³ Matthew 5:14