“Oh, my stars!!” I remember my mother saying this when she was surprised or startled or even excited about something. I have laid on the ground many times at night and gazed at the stars, wondering how far away they were and how many there were. Because I was raised in a home of Christian faith, I would imagine about Heaven being even higher than those stars. Wow! Mind-boggling for a little girl.
A week ago, our pastor talked about the stars and used a video to show us just how many there were and went from the most minute thing in our world to the biggest masses of stars in the galaxy. It was mind-boggling for this grown woman!
He talked about how there were 10 thousand million million million stars in the heavens. That is 10 THOUSAND MILLION MILLION MILLION! He also said that God has named every single one of them. Uh oh, my mind is boggling again!
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.” Psalm 147:4, 5
Pastor Ben then began to compare it to grains of sand. There are more stars than there are grains of sand on the entire earth! What?! Now, I am past the mind-boggling to mind-blowing. The next time I stand on the beach here in Oregon, I am going to try to imagine that.
“Okay”, Pastor Ben says, “one more thing…there are more atoms in one grain of sand than there are stars in the universe.” I am no scientifically brainy person, believe me, but this is over the top!
“The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 (KJV)
The thing that has stuck with me more this week than all of these numbers and comparisons, is that God has named every single star (10 thousand million million million) , yet He knows MY name and He knows YOURS. Stop and let that sink in…He knows how many hairs are on our heads(some less than others!), He knows our past, present, and future…He knows us by name.
“How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” Psalm 39:17,18
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1,2
Next time you feel less than or on the outside looking in, remember that God loves you, values you and He knows your name. You matter. Oh, my stars!
#hope #chainednomore #godslove #insecure #depression