The Greatness Of God As Seen In The Stars

November 2021 — Grace & Truth Magazine


The Greatness Of God
As Seen In The Stars

He brought him [Abram] outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” — Genesis 15:5 NKJV

The night sky is an amazing object lesson! What a sight it must have been for Abram as he looked up to the middle-eastern sky, filled with splendor and magnificence. For him to see the countless stars stretched out in the heavens was surely an astonishing sight.

David too was mesmerized as he gazed at the night sky. We can think of him as that shepherd out in the fields watching over his father’s sheep. David, perhaps lying down on the ground with darkness all around him, would look up at the sky and say, “Wow!” Or, feeling alone as he fled from Saul out in the wilderness, he would gaze up at the panoramic magnificence of the heavenly display. His thoughts bubbled over with excitement and reflection, exclaiming, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him” (Ps. 8:3-4).

These men, Abram and David, saw with the natural eye the wonders of God’s creation and marveled. Today we can also see them through modern technology and high-definition photos or videos, which only increase the impression of creation’s magnitude and greatness. Have we ever wondered at the perfection and precision of the planets, the immensity, complexity and innumerableness of the stars and constellations? These huge systems are moving in orbits with many varying forces acting on them – some moving in an elliptical pathway, others in a circular orbit. Yet there remains an order of perfection.

Truly, even in the limited way you and I understand these things, it is sufficient for us to know that such complexity and precision cannot be the result of chance, of random existence or origin. Foolish theories as to an origin through some cosmic explosion, a big bang, could not result in such grandeur and perfection. We are reminded, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (14:1). Man attempts to escape from his responsibilities toward God, the Creator of heaven and earth (Acts 17:24), denying His existence, but creation irrefutably declares His eternal power and deity, so that they are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

For those of us who believe, what comfort, consolation and peace His greatness imparts to our hearts. We know that the One who not only created but also controls and maintains all things by His hand is God, who loves us and has given His life for us.

He is “not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33), even if we cannot make sense of what is happening in our lives or circumstances. We know and should be confident that He is in control and perfectly able to work out everything for good (Rom. 9:5, 8:28).

As we consider the immenseness of His creation and the perfection of its order and existence, should we not trust Him for every minute detail of our personal lives? He who maintains creation also sees and cares for us, orchestrating everything in our lives for our good. As we remember that God has created, maintains and sustains the universe with such precision and perfection, there is no reason for me to doubt Him in the needs of my everyday life – even in the difficulties that are before me today.

David agreed, for he broke out in worship: “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Ps. 40:5)!

By Albert Blok

It is good to know in these uncertain times that the God whom we know and serve already has His plans and purpose in place before they come to pass. There is no other God and there is no one like Him. He is the God of love and compassion, and He cares for His people. No matter what man does around us, it will not change the good counsel and purpose which He has for those who love Him. May we daily rest in the knowledge that our God has all things in His control! — David Alberts