A Starry Night

The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.

“Okay, girls, I think I got it,” I said, making a final adjustment to the lens. My daughter Elise stepped forward as I leaned away from the telescope.

“Let me see!” Ashlyn, the littlest one, piped up from the back.

“In a minute,” I said cheerfully.

Our local library had recently added telescopes to their catalog of items to borrow, and after waiting for a few weeks, it was our turn. We’d picked up the telescope—housed in a padded, medium-sized garbage bin and accompanied by careful instructions—and carted it home, then waited for a clear winter’s night.

Shivering, I watched as my children stepped up to see the sights. I admired the stars, pulling my coat more tightly around me. A few wispy clouds floated high above, but for the most part, our view was unimpeded. The moon was full and bright, but under the power of the lens, it was luminous.

Though astronomers aren’t sure how many stars exist, they estimate that there are about 100 billion in a single galaxy (our own Milky Way). When we multiply that by the estimated 10 trillion galaxies in the universe, the result is one septillion stars: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.^a

What an incredible number! The light of the stars isn’t just something to admire on a dark night but a reflection of God’s vast and infinite power. He merely breathed a word, and a septillion stars were created. To count to a billion—at a rate of one number per second—would take us more than thirty-one years. Yet God not only counts them but also calls them by name (see Psalm 147:4).

Though he created a vast universe, our God cares about the details. He’s named the stars, and he knows our names too. When we look at the night sky, we are reminded that God is powerful enough to bring it into existence but loves us enough to know our names. He doesn’t miss a star, a person, or a detail. We can be thankful that his loving attention never wanes.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

On the next clear night, spend a few minutes stargazing. Thank God for the reminder that he knows you by name in the midst of the vast universe.