The Glory of the Lord

There was a slight chill in the air late one fall evening. It was the kind of chill where one likes to snuggle into a hoodie or sweater to go outside. The evening was one of those moonless nights, so that when I closed the door of the cabin, blocking the light, the darkness was like the darkness I felt when the lights were turned off deep in Carlsbad Cavern. Soon, my eyes adapted to the darkness and the sky overhead took on a brilliance of it’s own as our own galaxy, the Milky Way, spread overhead, glowing with all its glory from the light of billions of stars. Above me in all directions I could see stars and familiar star formations. My gaze brought into focus some familiar objects like the north star Polaris, the constellation Ursa Major which is also known as the Larger Bear or just the Bear, Orion the Hunter, and the beautiful Pleiades, sometimes called the Seven Sisters. From my studies in astronomy, I knew that the individual stars and objects I could see with my unaided eyes comprised only a very small fraction of the billions upon billions of stars and galaxies which can be seen by large telescopes. I was then, as I always am, amazed at the non-ending extent and beauty of the heavens around me. I reminisced on the fact that our God made all this for us, his greatest creation, to discover, study and enjoy. God saw that is was good.

The Orion Nebula

When I see beautiful sights as this, I remember that Paul, writing to the Philippians, said that we, as the children of God, shine like stars in the universe.

I also remember what Job said:

“He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion,

the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,

miracles that cannot be counted.” (Job 9:9-10)

Then there was David who put the following words to song:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalms 19:1)

I can only image that Job, some time in his life, walked many evenings in a dark pasture or field and gazed up at the stars overhead. Perhaps David, as he fled from King Saul, looked at the star studded skies above. Then, before going to sleep, perhaps they laid down and gazed upon the very same planets, stars and star formations that you and I see today. I can only imagine what they pondered about the beauty and greatness of the heavens which the Lord created for all of us to enjoy, since the beginning of time.

Praise be the Lord God, of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, who is greater than all we can see or imagine. The universe is vast, without known boundaries, but your greatness, oh God, is so much more than all this. Nothing exceeds your majesty, power, knowledge, goodness, and love. Blessed be the name of Jehovah who loved us so much that, not only did you create the beauty of the heavens and earth for us, but you sent your only son that we might be redeemed to enjoy your goodness and love forever and ever through the Son. Amen.

Paul Schulze, PhD
Stephenville, Texas