Consider the Stars
Various trials can challenge our faith in ways never challenged before. As I sit back and reflect, I can't imagine going through a time such as this without the Lord. If we are in Christ, we also believe that God has a purpose and plan for both the virus threat and His children. Can you imagine going through this situation without Him? We serve an uppercase "G" God, but sometimes we can view Him with a lowercase "g". In other words, is our view of God large or small? Do we believe God is in control? Do we believe He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords?
Throughout history men have worshiped various gods and idols of their own making. These false gods and idols have no real power, and could never satisfy. For example, I think of pagan men such as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar II, and the priests of Baal. These were some examples of men who served pagan gods and idols. All three saw the real power of God before their very eyes. Nebuchadnezzar faced this reality at the fiery furnace in Daniel 3 to the point where he changed the law of Babylon to recognize God. Pharaoh's magicians (Exodus 7:11-13) and the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40) tried to match the power of God to no avail. There is none like our God. However, through trials, if we respond incorrectly, we can begin to view God as just a god. We can lose sight of His power, majesty, and glory.
Do we ever just stop and marvel at the glory of God? Consider the stars, for example: We think about how massive and expansive the universe is. There is seemingly an infinite number of stars and galaxies. Scientists estimate there are over 100 billion stars in the Milky Way alone. We don't even have the technology to traverse the expanse of our own solar system or the Milky Way galaxy. It makes me marvel at how powerful and majestic God is. In Psalm 104, the psalmist gives a very poetic account of creation. "Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain." (Psalm 104:1-2) To think that God stretches the heavens like a curtain with His power is unfathomable. He created the entire universe, but knows each and everyone of us intimately, even the number of hairs on your head. (Psalm 139, Luke 12:7, Matthew 10:30)
In Colossians 1, we see the power of Christ at the forefront of the letter. The Apostle Paul writes the following in Colossians 1:16-17, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." Christ is more powerful than any trial we could possibly face and sits over all creation. All things in the universe were created in and through Christ for His glory! Why were we created? For the glory of Christ. Why were the stars, galaxies, earth, and all living things created? For the glory of Jesus Christ! It gives each and every one of us purpose and a reason to live for. Let us use our breath to praise Him!
I am amazed as we look back 2000 years ago that the God of the universe would step down out of glory to become a man. The highly exalted Christ would lower himself to a "sacrificial lamb" delivered to the slaughter. That the God of all things would wash the feet of sinful men and heal the broken. The One who stretches out the heavens like a curtain would stretch out his arms on the ragged cross enduring the full wrath of God in the place of sinners. The psalmist in Psalm 104 rightly concludes, "I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." (Psalm 104:33) My challenge to you is that we take time to marvel at the glory of God and what He has accomplished. God is still at work now in the midst of this difficult season. Let us pray that many would awaken to the reality of the saving work of Jesus Christ. Let us share the gospel with the lost and continue to lift high the name of Jesus. Let every fiber of our being extol the glory of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
