Genesis 15 1-18
The Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. God said, “Abram, don’t be afraid . I will defend you. And I will give you a great reward.”
But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me? I have no son. So my slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die.” Abram said, “Look you have given me no son. So a slave born in my house will inherit everything I have.”
Then the Lord spoke his word to Abram. He said, “That slave will not be the one to inherit what you have. You will have a son of your own. And your son will inherit what you have.”
Then God led Abram outside. God said, “Look at the sky. There are so many stars you cannot count them. And your descendants will be too many to count.”
Abram believed the Lord. And the Lord accepted Abram’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.
God said to Abram, “I am the Lord who led you out of Ur of Babylonia. I did that so I could give you this land to own.”
But Abram said, “Lord God, how can I be sure that I will own this land?”
The Lord said to Abram, “Bring me a three-year old cow, a three-year old goat and a three-year old male sheep. Also bring me a dove and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought them all to God. Then Abram killed the animals and cut each of them into two-pieces. He laid each half opposite the other half. But he did not cut the birds in half. Later, large birds flew down to eat the animals. But Abram chased them away.
As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep. While he was asleep, a very terrible darkness came. Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers and travel in a land they don’t own. The people there will make them slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land, taking great wealth with them.
Abram, you will live to be very old. You will die in peace and will be buried. After your great-great-grandchildren are born, your people will come to this land again. It will take that long, because Amorites are not yet evil enough to punish.
The sun went down, and it was very dark. Suddenly a smoking firepot and a blazing torch passed between the halves of the dead animals. So on that day the Lord made an agreement with Abram. The Lord said, “I will give them the land between the river of Egypt and the great river Euphrates. This is the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittities, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorities, Canaanites, Girgashities and Jebusites.”
Discussion Questions
- God told Abram not to be afraid, He would protect him, and give him a great reward? True or False: True
- Abram was worried what God could give him because God had not given him something? A son
- What did God ask him to count? The stars in the sky to show him he would have many descendants.
- God wanted Abram to trust his plans for our lives? Yes, it is difficult to be patient but God has great plans for each of us.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for teaching us how important it is to be patient. We know you have great plans for our lives. Thank you for all that you do each day. Amen.
Bible Verse for November
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
Proverbs 3:5
Outdoor Family Fun
Take a blanket, dress appropriately, and enjoy an evening gazing at the stars in the night sky. Talk about how God promised Abram and Sarai many descendants. Attempt to count the stars together. Also, watch for “shooting stars.” During the first two weeks of November, the Taurids, annual meteor shower, may be visible. If counting the stars in the night sky is difficult because of city lights or cloud cover, try visiting a planetarium for a star show.
Homespun idea
Create a special time with your child this week (make sure it’s something you can commit to). This might be time you both spend with someone special, time to enjoy a special dessert after dinner, or game time. Circle the day on the calendar, and let your child cross off and count the days until the special event will take place. This will make the concept of waiting more concrete for your preschooler. Remind your preschooler that God has good plans for us and always keeps his promises.
Daily Challenge
This week, your child learned that God wants us to be patient. Encourage your child to commit to one of the following challenges to thank God for the good plan He has for his or her life. Help your child weave faith into life this week and follow through on the challenges.
- Look at a picture of yourself from your first birthday. Thank God for all the wonderful plans he’s had for you since you were a baby.
- At the end of the day, tell your mom or dad about everything you did that day. Pray together and thank God for the wonderful plans he had for your day.
- Have your mom or dad take you to the library or go online to look up something you want to be when you grow up, such as a doctor, a firefighter, or a scientist. Then talk about how God has great plans for life.
