Star Gazing

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

 

A secret desire I’ve always had is that when I get to heaven maybe the Lord will allow me to zip around the universe to soak in the beauty of his starry hosts.

Sounds silly I know.

The high school I attended was on the escarpment of the great Rift Valley. During the day, the plains below shimmered in the African sun, Mount Longonot rising in a misty haze. At night…wow! The sky exploded with the brilliance of a million lights.

I often went to the upper soccer field, alone in the dark, to lay down under the blanket of stars to dream.

I dreamt of escaping my life

I dreamt of letting go of everything and being at peace

I dreamt of starting over again somewhere

I dreamt of belonging

I dreamt of acceptance

Darkness shrouding me in perfect quiet and absolute stillness, I would look up for long periods of time marveling at the beauty, how small I was in comparison to the blazing night sky, the deep mystery of creation and Creator. Lost in it. I felt seen and heard, understood. Instead of the stars being a million miles away, I felt connected to the light, to the beauty, most of all to the Lord.

Today I read Psalms 8:3-4 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

the work of his fingers

Each star, planet, galaxy, universe was placed one-by-one by the hand of God. When I try to grasp this my pea brain wants to explode. The Creator of all. So vast is his creation, so detailed, so intricate.

he is mindful of me

What special status can I claim that would set me apart from the rest of his creation? What do I bring to the God of the heavens that would manage to catch his attention? Not only did he create me, but he goes a step farther and is mindful of me.

He keeps me on his mind, focuses his attention towards me. He sees me. Knows me. Cares for me. Deeply.

Thank you Jesus for loving me. I am so grateful that even though you could pass right over my nondescript life, you don’t. Your eye settles on me, your heart turns towards me, you love reaches out to me. I am overwhelmed by beauty of your creation and the comfort of knowing that even if all else in life fails, you remain steadfast and sure.

 

reflect…

1. When was the last time you “considered the heavens” and contemplated your life in light of the eternal yet personal presence of the Lord?
2. How does this verse encourage your heart knowing that the eye of the Lord is on you?
3. In what circumstance have you felt the Lord’s mindfulness in your life?