Have you seen the stars?
My entire adult life has been spent living in cities. Whether it was Colorado, West Virginia, or North Carolina, my time in college and places for work have always had me in either the city or the suburbs. And honestly, I really do enjoy the amenities and events that only cities can bring.
However, where I grew up in southern Nevada was much more rural. Not nearly as many people, and everyone was spread out across the valley. While I don’t necessarily miss the summers that blazed with temperatures reaching and exceeding 110 ℉, there are several scenes which are permanently burned into my memory.
The smell of the sagebrush after a good, hard rain – it’s tough to describe, but there is a warm spiciness to the air. The smell doesn’t last long, as any appreciable rain tends to evaporate quickly under the desert sun.
I’ve seen sunsets in nearly every kind of setting – over the ocean, behind the mountains, and through the forest trees. You may have a hard time believing this, but nothing – absolutely nothing – beats a desert sunset. The blendings of reds, golds, and oranges against a dark blue, nearly black sky…is stunningly beautiful. Desert sunsets are completely unlike anything else you will find on the planet.
However, after the sun goes down is when the desert reveals a beauty you can’t find in any city. In fact, being in a city will prevent you from ever seeing this. Away from the streetlights, the porch lights, and any other sort of artificial light, you can look up and see the true vastness of the heavens. The stars shine so bright and full, you’re instantly amazed by the sheer volume of them. The constellations are easily found, and when you observe the expanse of the Milky Way galaxy stretched across the pitch-black sky, you become mesmerized as you struggle to take it all in.
When we step away from the veil of artificial, man-made light, we are confronted with the truth of how massive the universe actually is…which, in turn, reminds us of how small we are. Is it no surprise then, that in Scripture, God often points us to look at the heavens to remind us of the difference between Him and us?
Isaiah 40:25-26
“To whom will you compare Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.
Look up and see!
Who created these?
He brings out the stars by number, He calls all of them by name.
Because of His great power and strength, not one of them is missing.
In the Milky Way galaxy alone, scientists estimate there are between 200 and 400 billion stars. We humans struggle to identify them all, resorting to naming systems which consist of nothing more than alphanumeric codes and designations.
But God calls all of them by name. Pause a moment and let that sink in – by name. He knows exactly what they are and where they are – because He put them there!
So tonight, step outside – Look up and see! Even if you’re in a city and can only see a few stars, remember…if God knows them by name, then He certainly knows your name, too.
And, best of all, He wants you to know Him. The master Creator – who has no equal – wants you to know Him.
So tonight, when you step outside and look up, say hello and ask what’s on His mind. Go ahead and share what’s on your mind. Enjoy the lightshow of stars He created.
Keep Pressing,
Ken