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1.22.2008

Star Light, Shine Bright

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 8
Star Light, Shine Bright

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 8 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

Have you ever gone outside on a dark starry night and looked up into the heavens? When I was growing up I had a horse named Flicka. We lived out in the country, so when it got dark at night, it was really dark making the tiniest light shine as brightly as high school stadium lights. There were times when I would go outside at night to Flicka’s pen. If she was laying down, I would climb on top of her back, lay down, and look up into the skies. On a clear night, there would be billions upon billions of stars filling up the sky making it look as if the sun were shining brightly; sometimes I even saw stars falling down from the heavens to the earth. It was absolutely beautiful!

David penned Psalm 8 as he looked up into the night skies beholding the beauty of God’s creation. I doubt that he was laying on the back on his horse though when he composed this Psalm; it is more likely that he was walking in the courtyard of the palace or out on the balcony. Wherever he was, he was taken aback at the beauty of the world around him and he was giving God proper praise. He sang praises to God as beautiful music accompanied him on a guitar-like harp.

Have you ever been so taken aback by the awesomeness of God’s creation and then wondered why in the world He created us? As David beheld the majesty of the world around him, he thought this exact thing, “When I consider Your heavens, the works of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit Him? (Psalm 8:3 & 4) What in the whole wide world is man that an Infinite, All-Powerful, All-Loving, All-knowing, Perfect, Holy God would think of him? God has so much more to think about and enjoy, right? He created light and darkness, the heavens and the earth, dry land that would yield plants and flowers, and trees and herbs. He created the sun and the moon, the stars and the seasons. God created the fish of the sea and the birds of the air. He created cattle and other four-legged animals. Oh, and don’t forget about all the creepy crawly things He created. Then, after all that, He created man in His own image. Mankind. Created by God last. If God created us last why would He still be mindful of us? How would He even remember us after everything else? Ahh, my friend! Here’s the deal. We, you and I, were the crowning glory of God’s creation. You see, yes the light shone, and the darkness covered. The flowers bloomed and the trees bore fruit. The planets rotated and the stars twinkled. Fish swam and birds flew. Cows mooed and bugs crawled. But, none of them conversed with God. None of them praised God. None of them had that ability. Not one of them were created in His image with the capacity to think and feel and love. Except man. God created man to fellowship with him. To walk with him and talk with him. To laugh with him and cry with him. To love him above all else; love him so much in fact that He would sacrifice the life of His precious Son. Do you get that? God is mindful of us because He loves us and desires fellowship with us. It totally baffles my mind. I don’t get it all, but I praise Him because of it. His name is EXCELLENT in all the earth! Shout praises to Elohim, the God of creation today.

Living out the Word
The next dark starry night you have in your neck of the woods, I challenge you to go outside, take your family with you, and look up into the night sky. Soak in the majestic beauty of the world around you. Praise the God who created the heavens and earth. Let it be an opportunity to teach your children the importance of shining brightly like the stars do for Jesus.

Praying Scripture back to the Lord
Father, I bless Your Name. From the this day forth and forevermore, I praise You. When the sun rises and when it sets, my lips shall praise Your Name. You are the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. You reign supreme in all the earth. There is none like You. To You, I give all glory and praise.

Praying Scripture- Psalm 113

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