Devotion - Cosmic Collision - Genesis 15:5

Genesis 15:5   God took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

I’ve just read a fascinating article about an inter-galactic collision that will take place 4 billion years from now between our own Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. Billions upon billions of stars will either collide or closely pass by one another over a time period of more than a billion years. The article is based upon a study that NASA has released; to even think about such a cataclysmic event is absolutely staggering to my feeble mind. The astronomers who have completed their observations, done their research, and completed the math are amazing scientists. We certainly won’t be on this side of Life when the collision occurs, so perhaps we will witness it as the equivalent of a divine Fourth of July fireworks display on a Heavenly scale.

When God takes old Abram outside to show him the night sky and tells him that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars, I find that equally amazing and fascinating. It tells me that when God makes a promise, He not only keeps His word, but He also blesses and fulfills it as wonderfully as He possibly can. The majority of the religious people on the Earth today can trace their spiritual roots to this moment of God’s magnificent blessing. Billions of people – Jews, Christians, and Muslims - find their religious ancestry in Abram of old. God’s promise, made thousands of years ago, has found its fulfillment in today’s world. This also tells me that God not only works in mysterious ways, He also has a great patience in fulfilling his work of salvation.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do my religious roots originate? How does my faith sharing with others expand this ancient blessing?

Prayer:                        Almighty Creator, when I gaze upon the stars in the night sky, I am struck with wonder and awe. Your works are amazing and I feel both humbled and privileged to be a creature of Your making. May I continue to bless and praise You throughout the days of my life. In Christ’s Name, I pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called “Sleepless Sky.” It features a beautifully starlit northern sky illuminated with the aurora borealis. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/7186639110_1bbac69be5_b.jpg

Gospel Devotions: October Skies - Matthew 2:10

Today’s Bible readings:   Isaiah 9:16-21   & Matthew 2:7-12

Matthew 2:10  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

I love October skies, especially at night. The sky is filled with a plethora of stars and galaxies on cloudless evenings. Every time I look up, I am in awe of God’s creative power and my heart is filled with joy because I know that the One who made the stars also made me.

Some people talk about us being made from the dust of former stars. I even watched a program recently on television where this was constantly being expressed. I guess scientists and astronomers are enamored by this, but for people of faith, we can go one better: we are not just made of stardust, we are created by the Starmaker Himself.

Tonight, I’ll probably look at the stars again and take delight in recognizing shapes and constellations, planets and galaxies that I have known since I was a young boy in Scotland. But I’ll also take extra delight in knowing that I am a child of God’s grace, created to enjoy His wonders, as well as being eternally saved by His glorious Son.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of grace and reconciliation that You bought with Your Life for all of Creation. You have restored the blessedness of all things that God has made and we look forward to the Great Day when You will return to reclaim Your people. Be with us this day and night. Grant us the delight of seeing God’s work in the world and universe. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s Psalm drawings. It depicts a verse from Psalm 33 where God is said to have breathed out the stars. You can view a larger version of the drawing by clicking on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3249875950_c61fc2c8f3_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: I See the Moon - Psalm 89

Psalm 89:37    It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." "Selah"

As a kid, I always enjoyed looking up at the moon. I could see it clearly from my bedroom window and sometimes I would stay up late into the wee small hours of the morning, enjoying its shape, movement, and brilliance. Occasionally, I would recite a child’s prayer about the moon:

“I see the moon and the moon sees me.

God bless the moon and God bless me.”

Forty five years later, I’m still fascinated by the radiance of the moon. I realize now that it has no light of its own, but it reflects the light of the Sun to Earth. I think that’s why it’s called a “faithful witness in the sky.” So long as the Sun exists and the moon is still orbiting around the Earth, it will faithfully reflect sunlight to us.

As Christians, we are meant to be faithful witnesses of Christ’s Light on Earth. Some people believe that this means we’re meant to show Christ’s love to everyone. But it’s more than just that – we’re also meant to reflect the Truth of Christ, which sometimes conflicts with what the World will tolerate. Loving the World does not mean embracing its sins or condoning society’s errors. Being the light of Christ and His faithful witnesses calls us to wholly reflect His Teachings and Truth, as well as His Compassion. Love without Christ is just a temporary feeling; love with Christ’s Truth is an everlasting faith.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we try to be Your faithful witnesses in the world, but sometimes we allow ourselves to be people pleasers and acceptable appeasers, rather than messengers of Your Gospel and servants of Your Kingdom. Grant us the gift of discernment and help us to truly know what You would have us speak, do, and share with the people of our world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s original drawings called “Moonrise Van Gogh.” It’s a nighttime depiction based upon Van Gogh’s famous “Field of Crows.” You can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4136822951_b576335e31_b.jpg

4 Minute Devotions: Star Struck

Taking out the garbage on cold winter night can be an amazing experience.

Podcast version here

Psalm 89:6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?

I love winter nights. Last evening, as I was wheeling the garbage bin to the front yard, I looked up at the sky and was immediately overawed. Thousands of stars were dazzling like beautiful diamonds and even although it was very cold, I just stood there like a schoolboy, gaping and gazing at the glittering constellations. No matter how often I see them, I am totally amazed. I guess that the right phrase is ‘star struck,’ but it has nothing to do with the movies.

My neighbors must think I’m crazy. They probably hear me trundle out the bin to the street and then watch me from behind their blinds. “There’s that loony Scotsman, standing in the street again, looking up at the sky. Has he never seen the stars?” If I could answer them, I would say, “No, I haven’t.”

You see star gazing is a bit like sea watching – the sky is always different and constantly changing. I see a new sky each night when I stop to look upwards. What happens at that moment will never ever occur again. To the casual observer, everything looks the same, but to a star gazer like me, there’s always something that is different.

One thing remains constant though, my thankfulness to God as I am overawed by the whole experience. If the winter sky looks so expansive, wonderful, and astounding, what must God be like? That’s why a verse like today’s has great meaning for me; each time I look at the stars I think: what can compare to God in the skies above? What is most like God across the stellar heavens?

I feel full of wonder, and that’s what makes God wonderful to me. He can take a weekly routine chore and turn it into something totally amazing.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for creating the universe and for filling it with stars. Thank You for the wonder and awe that they inspire. Continue to touch our hearts and souls with Your Creative powers. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.