11_Abraham our Father in faith Gen 15:5, 6 5 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.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Heb 11: 8-12 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. Faith is one of the most profound concepts in the Bible. Faith is the foundation upon which our relationship with God is built. Hebrews 11, often referred to as the "Hall of Faith," highlights numerous Old Testament heroes who demonstrated this crucial quality. From Abel to the prophets, each name is a testament to the essence and essentiality of faith. Interestingly, among these, Abraham and Sarah are given an extended mention spanning 11 verses, illustrating the depth of their faith and the lessons it holds for us. Genesis 15 records a crucial moment in Abraham’s life, shortly after his victory over an alliance of four kings. Abraham had risked his life to rescue his nephew Lot who had been taken captive with the people of four kingdoms. Though he succeeded in recovering all the people and the possessions from the enemy, Abraham refused to take anything by way of reward from the godless king of Sodom. By doing so, he showed his unwillingness to be indebted to anyone but the God who had called him. This left him with no tangible gains and, perhaps, powerful enemies among the kings he had defeated, and the king of Sodom whose friendship he had just turned down. In this moment of vulnerability, God appeared to Abraham with a profound promise: "Fear not, Abram: I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward." These words underline the greatest truth on earth. Our security does not come from earthly possessions, alliances, or strength, but from the presence of God Himself. To have God as our shield is to have a defense greater than any army. God is a reward beyond the greatest treasure on earth. However, even as Abraham gladly received this assurance, his heart remained burdened. He had no heir to inherit the promises God had given him. In response, God called him out to view the night sky blazing with innumerable stars. There he reiterated His promise. Abraham