Diamonds in the Snow...by Suzanne Taylor

One of my first duties of the day is to walk our black Labrador Retriever, Romeo. We did not name Romeo, but believe me when I say that this name fits him to a T. It doesn't matter if it's a child, a cat, another dog, a bird, or even a butterfly, Romeo loves them all.

One morning when we went out, the sky was clear and blue, without a cloud to be seen. A dusting of new snow covered the old, and in the sunlight, that new snow sparkled in every color of the rainbow...like millions of tiny diamonds frosting the ground by the hand of God. Seeing them lifted my spirit and gladdened my soul.

When our walk was over, I meditated on the beauty of God's design and remembered when He spoke with Abraham. ...blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore... (Genesis 22:17a NKJV)

Now I understood it all better. When God asked Abraham to give up his only son to death, Abraham didn't hesitate. Think about this: Abraham waited almost 100 years for Isaac to be born to him and Sarah, but when God called for Isaac's death, Abraham took him, all the tools he needed to sacrifice his son to God, and went up on Mount Moriah.

Isaac asked his father, "Look, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." (Genesis 22:7b-8a)

Because of Abraham's trust in God, He blessed him abundantly. Abraham knew that God loved him and that Isaac was God's gift through whom the earth would be both populated and blessed.

But this blessing - I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore - was not simply referring to Israelites physically born to Abraham's descendants. The blessing included all who would come to Jesus and be saved. That is, when we are born again, we are grafted into the root of Jesse, and we are Abraham's spiritual descendants.

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7)

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)

When you see the stars in the sky, the sands on the seashore, or even the glittering ice crystals in the snow, remember...

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son. But God would require that only of Himself, which He did through Jesus the Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).