Under the Stars

“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.”
Isaiah 40:25-26 (New International Version)

Rob and the kids and I just came in from a game of baseball/ultimate frisbee underneath the stars. It was very fun. Lots of laughing and a little competition. I always dread going out to play, but am always so thankful for the memories we have made afterwards. It was a cloudless, moonless night tonight. Rob bought some very powerful incandescent lights to shine on our yard to keep us from stumbling over our feet in the darkness.

I looked up over the arc of light to the stars above us. After my eyes adjusted to the black tapestry that the twinkling lights were embedded in, I suddenly realized how impossible it would be to count them. And again I was reminded of just how small of a speck I am on this planet earth.

As I stood there looking up above me, I remembered a covenant made long ago between God and the patriarch, Abram. Abram’s name meant “exalted father.” Abram was painfully reminded of the irony of the meaning of his name every time someone called for him. Abram had no children. His wife, Sarai, was barren. They both were well past their fertile years when God Himself called Abram to an encounter with Him outside his tent.

“He took him outside and said, ‘Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then He said to him, ‘Your offspring will be that [numerous].’

Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”
Genesis 15:5-6 (HCSB)

God gave Abram that promise when he was childless, without that baby son that he and Sarai wanted so badly. He dared to believe that the One who made the promise was able to fulfill it, even though Abram was still twenty-five years away from the day on which he heard the first cry of his newborn son, Isaac.

Abram became Abraham, a name that meant father of a multitude. Is anything impossible for our God? Nothing! He has given each star a name. There is no limit to His creativity. That creativity extends to providing seemingly impossible solutions for any problem that you and I might face.

The next time we need a reminder of God’s covenant with us, let’s go outside and look up at the starry host. It proclaims His faithfulness every night. And instead of feeling small and insignificant, let’s believe God’s promise that He cares about you and me more than any bright light in the heavens.

Jesus, You are limitless in Your creativity. Help me to marvel in Your greatness, not worry about my problems today. Help me to believe You–that is my righteousness.