Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 / Matthew 7:15-20
The tendency to doubt God is in all of us.
But doubt can lead us to two different situations.
Either we deepen our faith in God or we despair and lose faith altogether.
In our doubt, we have this tendency to look inwards of ourselves, and the questions asked are centred on ourselves.
Much like the questions that Abram asked: What do you intend to give me? I am childless and You have given me no descendants!
But it is interesting that God took Abram "outside" to look up at heaven and count the stars.
But the "outside" is not so much in a physical aspect but rather from a spiritual perspective.
God led Abram to come out of his introspective and myopic attitude and to see further and believe deeper.
The attitude of individualism leads us to ask questions from within, questions that are centered on the self.
Hence the "I" becomes predominant, with the emphasis on the "right of choice" and the "power of freedom".
Yet these do not provide answers to the questions of life.
May we let God take us "outside" and to look up at the heavens and to count the stars.
It is enough to realise that we are in God's hands and it is in His hands we must remain in faith.