Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Genesis 15:1,5-6, "After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.' ... He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars - if indeed you can count them.' Then He said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.' Abram believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."

Think

There's a t-shirt available online with the following inscription, IN THE BEGINNING MAN CREATED GOD AND THEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED. What?! At first, this statement might right rub you the wrong way. But if you think about it, it's quite profound. This bold proclamation makes us confront our own perspective; it makes us stop and consider who our point of reference is for daily life.

A point of reference is a set of beliefs that orients us, that gives us a starting point to assess our motives and determine our actions. When it comes to our day-to-day decisions, our perspective is based on either God or us. Does your outlook on life start with the Creator of heaven and earth, GOD, or the creation, YOU?

Abraham was faithful to God. He believed the LORD'S promise that he would father many nations, even though his wife was decades past child-bearing age. The LORD considered his response of faith as proof of his loyalty. That is the heart of the issue. Where's your faithfulness? Where's your loyalty? Who's your point of reference? God or you? If your point of reference is YOU, the t-shirt tells it like it is... THEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED!

Be like Abraham and believe. God has far better plans for your life than you could ever dream or imagine on your own. When God is the starting point, He'll be your shield, your very great reward!

Act

Take this moment to reflect on some recent choices you've made that impacted not only your life but also the lives of those connected to you. As you reflect, who was your point of reference? Who did you look to when making those choices? You or God?

Pray

Dear God, I stand in awe of You, the Creator of heaven and earth. Like Abraham, I believe. My faithfulness and loyalty are directed to You. You, LORD, are my point of reference. Help me never to forget this fact. Amen.