Out of Ur

And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. -- Genesis 15:4–6 (ESV) Just 24 days till Christmas. The countdown is on. Like no other time of the year, there is an anticipation built into the season. We all have different traditions that build toward Christmas Day. As the first presents appear under the tree, the kids know it’s getting closer. We put out stockings in expectancy. We might open advent calendars, counting down the days. We light candles on wreaths to mark the weeks. But what if, in the words of C. S. Lewis, ‘it was always winter, but never Christmas.’? Would our hope be dispelled? Would our high hopes build or eventually wane? This week we look at God making the promise of a son, an heir, a child of promise. However, that promise would take years to arrive and even in its arrival it would be threatened. We will take a look at the next development in God’s unfolding redemptive plan by looking at a childless couple and God’s big promise to them.