Heavenly Chorus

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands," wrote David in Psalm 19:1 (NIV). Having lived in the Houston metropolitan area most of my life, I have a special appreciation for the country night sky which, free from most light and air pollution, expands the city's handful of bright stars into a spectacular light show. Gazing on the heavens in their full glory, I always feel close to the God Who made them.

When admiring such a sky in the company of small-town and rural-area natives, I am amazed at how many of them take the stars for granted. Not that I have any right to cast stones. How many times have I been "too busy" to notice a gorgeous blue sky outside my window, or to pause and view the sunset or full moon? Familiarity breeds contempt--even with the beauties of the heavens. Even with God.

Take a moment today to pause, look up at the sky, and contemplate the power it took to create the sun, moon, and stars; the air, the clouds, and the rainbows; the hawks and the hummingbirds; the shooting stars and the northern lights. Whether you live on the steppes of Siberia or in downtown Manhattan, God has some surprise for your eyes if you put them to use.

The sun comes up each morning to drive away the night,
And as the day moves onward grows ever more bright.
Too bright for eyes to look at, too fierce to bear for long,
It gives us food for eating and makes plants grow strong.
Our God shines in the heavens, the Source of all that lives,
Too bright for sin to stand in; and yet He forgives.

The moon swings in its orbit and smiles upon the earth,
The sign of light in darkness since man came to birth.
Its shape is ever changing, one side is always turned,
Yet we can chart its phases and trust what we've learned.
Our God shines in the heavens, like hope's own glowing hue:
Though we may see Him little, we know He is true.

The stars shine through the darkness, each light a twinkling glow,
The sign of hope and constance to us here below.
Each one a fiery giant, yet small to human eyes;
Still steady burns the faintest, a sign to the wise.
Our God shines in the heavens, our hope against the night:
May all the days we spend here reflect forth His light.