Look at the Stars [Genesis 15]

 ²Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" ³And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." ⁴Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."

 ⁵And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them " And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."⁶Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

This dialog between God and Abram happens some years after God first gave Abram the promise that He would make Abram a great nation.  This time God reminds Abram that He is a shield to Him and that his "reward would be very great." But Abram is still thinking about the last thing God told him and he has obviously been thinking about it a lot.  He has tried to figure it out - God gave him a promise, years have passed and still he does not have a son.  So he proposes to God a logical solution.  His heir was his servant Eliezer, who was born in his house.  God's answer comes back strongly, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."  And then God confirmed His promise, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them " And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."

"Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness."

 We praise You that You are a covenant God.  You keep Your promises and are a shield to us.  Give us the faith to believe You.