He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
(Psalm 147:4 NIV)
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—
his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made…(Romans 1:20 NIV)
The other night I was outside after dark. It was a cold but clear winter night, and the stars and planets were out in all their magnificence. Our area has a lot of snow in winter and plenty of clouds, so the beauty of this clear night and it’s gorgeous array of celestial bodies was not lost on me. I am by no means an astronomer; my knowledge of constellations is basically the Big Dipper and Orion’s belt. But God’s handiwork in this direction reminded me that, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1 NIV)
I was also reminded of how finely tuned the universe is so that we might have life. The careful placement of the earth in our solar system gives us the best distance from the sun – not too close, not too far away. Things like our magnetic field and gravitational field help to protect us from the many dangers of the space outside our atmosphere. The perfectly designed orbits of planets, comets, and other celestial bodies keeps them from crashing into each other and potentially destroying our earth. All this and more reminds me that day after day we very delicate creatures live a tenuous life on a perfectly designed planet because God loves us and created us for this day and this place.
If you walk outside tonight and look up, remember that the heavens do proclaim the glory of God. Even in the silence of our dark sky, they pour forth speech and knowledge, showing us the perfect goodness and creativity of our God.
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens and the skies proclaim the works of your hands. When we consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Thank you for the beauty of all your Creation. Thank you for perfectly designing a universe that is finely tuned and perfectly made to support life. We are grateful for the silent yet stunning reminders that you are in control of everything we see. Help us to remember your sovereignty and to rejoice in it. May we join with all of creation in singing praise to you. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! AMEN.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4 NIV)
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1-9 NIV)