I have a great view of the vast nighttime sky from my backyard. Most nights you can find me gazing upward, taking in what I can of that magnificent expanse of space, reflecting on the God who created it and still rules over it.
To the west is the Big Dipper, reminding me of the abundant pool of grace from which God pours out a steady flow upon us. To the east is the moon, illuminating an otherwise dark landscape. Even when obscured by clouds, its light breaks through.
When I look up, I find myself in awe of the One who created our planet, our galaxy, our universe…composed of an estimated 100,000,000,000 galaxies and 700 billion trillion stars! Looking up also corrects my perspective during the times when I’m looking forward.
During the times when life, in all its messiness, threatens to drag my gaze downward, I look up. When the daily news cycle—and its stories of murders, deceptions, and wars—clouds my view and crowds out the wonder, I look up. I need to take in something that can’t be explained, or rationalized, or even comprehended by man.
This is the same sky seen by Adam and Eve! Moses, Daniel, and King David must have had quite a view, unencumbered by tall buildings and light pollution.
The three wisemen dedicated their lives to the study of the stars, one of which guided them to the Lord Jesus Himself! Did that baby have a view of the night sky through the roof of the stable? Did He see His Father’s fingerprints on the stars?
This same sky has been seen not only across time but across space as well. Your loved one—three time zones away—has the same view. The high-school ministry team in South America? Same view. Your friend who became a missionary to Africa? Same view.
The universe—with its daily drama of star-dying and star-birthing—has captivated the greatest, and the simplest, minds of all time.”The heavens,” after all, “declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1)!
Remember to often look up, because that will help you as you look forward toward your next step. Look up, and join the heavens in their galactic worship of the brightest among them: Jesus, the bright Morning Star!
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