I’m not exactly what you would call a stargazer, but I’ve spent my fair share of clear nights gazing up into the heavens. I’ve learned enough about the star field to point out constellations such as the Big Dipper or Orion’s Belt or Aquarius. And I’ll never forget the time that locating the North Star was the only thing that saved me from spending the night lost in a cold, wet swamp. I used it to find my way out of the inky darkness.
Every now and then I find myself awestruck by the enormity of the star-filled sky. Even though the naked eye can see only a small fraction of the universe God has created, the myriad of twinkling lights in our field of vision can be stunning.
The vastness of this piece of God’s handiwork makes me feel small—as it should. It’s a striking reminder that there is a Creator-God and we are His creation (Nehemiah 9:6). But when I consider the night sky through the lens of Scripture, I find myself invited by our Maker to be a part of something as big and bright as the stars themselves.
The apostle Paul used the stars to describe our mission as believers in Jesus. He wrote that God calls us to “shine among [unbelievers] like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16 NIV). Stars stand out like bright lights and draw people’s attention. In the same way, God calls us to shine brightly for Christ so that the world living in darkness will see it and be drawn to the “word of life”—Jesus Himself.
The next time you find yourself gazing up at a brilliantly lit night sky, remember that the One who hung those bright lights calls you to shine as beacons of hope and life for the sake of a dark and dying world.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 15:1-16
More:
Read Matthew 5:15-16 and consider what it means to “let your light shine before others.”
Next:
What can prevent you from shining for Jesus? How will you help others see His light today?
Gary Shultz on September 16, 2015 at 7:16 am
Sorry to say, I can probably only point out the big dipper, but I am always encouraged by looking into the heavens because I know the story that starts “In the beginning”. That is the kind of God I want, one who is big enough for the universe and yet knows where the stars are that we can’t even see. We can’t all be the big stars everyone sees; however, I agree we can and should shine where God has placed us. Thanks
Jeff Olson on September 16, 2015 at 8:00 am
Yes, Gary, “big” stars in the sense of “Hey everyone, look at me!” seem to be the farthest thing from Paul’s mind. We don’t “shine to be noticed, but when he humbly shine the light of the good news of Jesus into the world, some will notice and be drawn to the Creator God behind it all…By the way, if you know how to spot the big dipper you’re not far from finding the north star…just simply draw a straight line through the two outer stars of bowl of the Big Dipper and it will point you to the North Star…Google it sometime–it’s an amazing piece of God’s handiwork.
Tom Felten on September 16, 2015 at 11:25 am
Jeff, I’m reminded of what Jesus said: “God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:19-21). May we radiate the light of Christ today!
Seeking_777 on September 16, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Honestly, I haven’t thought of this passage in quite some time. I am very thankful of this reminder today. May God use us all to shine brightly like stars for the rest of the world to see and come to Christ.
Mike Wittmer on September 16, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Good point. I’m encouraged that as the world becomes darker our lights, even if they remain constant, actually shine brighter. What an exciting time to be a follower of Jesus!