Dusk had fallen and the night had crept in like an afterthought to a brilliant day. The faint whisper of the last zippered tent had faded and I stood by the dying embers of the campfire. My gaze was lifted upward in awe. The vast display of stars spoke to my beauty-loving heart.
Tenting with my family in the Colorado mountains has a way of resetting my mental awareness of God. This time was no different. In fact, the expansive night sky filled with an innumerable amount of stars caused me to reflect on the magnitude of God. God’s creation declares His glory over and over again and the stars are no different.
The Stars
The words about the stars in the creation story fill me with astonishment.
“…He made the stars also.” Genesis 1:16
The stars seem to be a tag-along to the list that God shares in the creation account. Yet, nothing God does is an afterthought. Whether in creation or the working of our lives, God does all things with purpose.
Moreover, the stars are so far from an afterthought for God that each one is counted and named. (Psalm 147:4) That thought boggles the mind when we realize that in our own Milky Way galaxy there are several hundred billion stars.
Within just one galaxy there are more stars than people on earth. Furthermore, there are billions of other galaxies with a myriad of stars of there own. We cannot count them all. However, our God not only has them all counted, but each one is named.
God set into motion at the dawn of time the heavenly bodies which govern our times and seasons. There has not been a day when the sun did not rise, nor the stars come out at night. The study of these faithful bodies show the intelligent design of our Creator. The tides and the moon correspond. The sun rises and sets and the seasons come and go.
Moreover, the stars have provided navigation throughout the years. When lost, the stars are able to orient you and provide the direction needed to find your way. Furthermore, hope is equated with the stars. Was it not a star that led the wisemen to the Hope of all the Earth?
Don’t Let Praise be an Afterthought
Though all these things are astonishing, our God is much more so. God’s creation is a tiny window into who He is. Let the magnitude of creation be a springboard into learning of our amazing God. Praise must assuredly fill our hearts and burst from our lips as we recogize that the Sustainor of the Universe is our Savior and Friend. It is through God, that all things exist and continue to operate. (Colossians 1:16-17) Moreover, this same God so loved….that He gave…that whosoever believeth…should have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Stand in awe of His wonders and know that you are the beat of God’s heart, not just an afterthought. He planned with purpose to redeem you. Gaze upon His creation and recognize that the Almighty God works on your behalf. Recall the works of God’s hands and know that your value is far greater. Pause and praise. Use the Psalms to jumpstart your praise to God. (i.e. Psalm 65 & 66)
God has no problem keeping the celestial bodies in motion. He will not have a problem keeping you in all the situations that you are facing. Don’t let problems force praise to become an afterthought in your life. Put it in the forefront of intentional living.
Glorify God with the praise of your lips and with a surrendered heart. Consider the greatness of God and recall how He bends low to draw you near.
The God who created this vast universe is still the God of today. He makes a way when there is no way. How will you praise God today, in spite of the magnitude of your problems?
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