How the Awe of God Draws us to Proclaim His Name

I downloaded a star chart on my tablet this week. It maps the stars and solar systems at the precise moment when they appear over my house. Like a seasoned stargazer familiar with the evening skies, the program points a finger at the constellations above that have been looked up across generations.

What I see in the heavens is exactly what Old Testament believers saw in the skies several thousand years ago.

And in that moment, I am connected with them.

In the early morning hours when I take my dog for a long walk, I am attracted to the stars that shine brightly overhead. Perhaps my attraction stems from my love for maps. I still have an old State Farm atlas in my bookshelf that I pull out occasionally. There is something about paper maps that allows me to draw a line with my finger to places and possible adventures. Google maps, although convenient, doesn’t hold the same awe as a large map spread out across a kitchen table or desk.

The stars have served mankind as a map. Trekking across the wilderness or sailing across an open sea, the stars have provided direction. The constellations were reliable, always in place, and each were known by a name. The stars were connected together to create an open storybook of adventure and intrigue that was often repeated under the blackness of night.

The maps of the stars were a constant, reliable source of information

I find it interesting that a star guided the wise men at night to a manger in Bethlehem.

The same message, the same story that spoke to the generations of believers is the same story that we trust today. A Savior was born. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to the world. By trusting in Him we receive eternal life in heaven.

Doubt beckons for a reliable source of information – and so its no wonder that the Bible tells Christians to be lights in Christ so that their stars can shine like the universe as we hold out the Word of life. (Phil. 2:15) It’s the light of truth that points to the message of God’s Word.

As we gaze up to the stars to pause in awe and wonder, I desire to capture the same awe in the life-transforming message of the gospel. May I whisper its story in wonder to the next generation – and to my neighbor.

“What fills the eyes of your heart? Our thoughts can be so dominated by the necessary tasks of the day, by the difficulties we face, or by the people around us, that we lose our consciousness of the Lord of Glory who has drawn us into his transcendent purposes for the universe. Or our day can be kidnapped by anxious cravings and all the “what ifs” that worry is able to generate. Big kingdom living really does start with remembering the King. This isn’t some mystical spiritual exercise for the super spiritual. It is street-level worship. It is loving God more than my projects. It is caring more about his glory than about my schedule. It is caring that his grace is spread and his fame is known more than I care about the next sale, the next promotion, an immaculate house, or a fun lunch with my friends. Ask yourself, when you start your day, what “unseen” thing draws and motivates you? Do you see God? Are you drawn toward him? Do you desire that your day be his day? Do you recognize his grace, power, and sovereignty in your life?” (Paul David Tripp, “Heart of the Matter: Daily Reflections for Changing Hearts and Lives” (Kindle Locations 3598-3599). New Growth Press. Kindle Edition.) — Reflections on the book of Deuteronomy.

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