Lights in the Sky

READ: GENESIS 1:14-19; PSALM 33:6; ISAIAH 40:26 BOOM! POW! BANG! The thunderous echoes of a fireworks display ring out. The noise isn’t always great, but fireworks sure are beautiful when they light up the night sky. Gasps of “ohh” and “ahh” can be heard as rockets whistle through the air and burst into umbrellas of brilliant, jewel-like sparks. The sky fills with many brightly colored lights, making the dark almost as light as day. And though fireworks shoot up high into the atmosphere, they don’t hold a candle (pun intended) to the shining stars above. When God sees our fireworks, maybe He smiles and says, “Quite impressive, folks, but have you considered the lights I put in the sky? They can be seen all over the earth. And they don’t die out in a matter of seconds.” When we look up at the heavens, we get a glimpse of just how huge and vast the universe is. What an awesome reminder of how great and powerful God is— and how much He loves us. He created the sun and moon and countless stars for His glory and pleasure, and also for us. He provided great spheres of fire and reflection so we could have lights in our sky, not just on festive days when fireworks illuminate the night, but every day. The sun, moon, and stars—and everything else God created—remind us of the love of our Creator God. It’s hard to fathom that the all-powerful Maker, who made the “starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6), is the same God who became human and lived among us. His great love for us compelled Him to conquer sin and death so we could live with Him forever. And the only way to do this was by laying down His own life. Jesus, the Light of the world, was laid in the darkness of the grave—for us. But after three days, He rose again. And now Jesus sits enthroned over all creation. He directs the sun and moon and stars, and He is intimately involved in the details of our lives. He beckons us to put our trust in Him and experience “the inexpressible and glorious joy” of knowing the One who formed the stars—and formed us (1 Peter 1:8). So today, let’s take a moment to behold Jesus’s beautiful universe and be reminded of His immense love for us and for all of creation. • A. W. Smith • Even though the universe is broken by sin and its effects, we can still see glimpses of God’s goodness in what He has made, and we can also look forward to the day Jesus will return and make all things new. According to Romans 8:18-25, how does God’s love impact creation? (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 119:73; 139:1-12; John 1:1-5; 8:12; Colossians 1:15-20.) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 (NIV)