Star of Wonder
by Tracy Gordon
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. These lyrics to the beautiful Christmas hymn, We Three Kings by John Henry Hopkins Jr., captivated me like never before this Christmas season. I found myself being prompted nightly to go outside in my backyard and simply look up and take in the beauty of God’s creation of our night sky. I would find the brightest star in the sky and imagine what it must have been like for the shepherds and wisemen to discover the Savior of the world under that beaming star. I couldn’t help but clearly see the radiance of a perfect cross as I looked at the center of the brightest star. I would take in a deep breath and breath out life’s clutter and fears of the day and inhale the peacefulness of the grandeur above.
This vast display of stars has been held in place by the sure, strong hands of God for thousands of years; through wars, tragedies, sadness, and disasters of every kind. Not one year of our history has shaken the power or control of God. I was in total awe as I reflected back in my own life and could see the constant faithfulness of God…every day, every year.
Our God who created this beauty for us to behold, who has shown His power through the calm night skies, is the One who will be with us every step of our life’s journey. I was reminded of what the Lord told Joshua when he was afraid: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” If we embrace the days ahead, knowing He has prepared them for us, we can live more purposefully no matter what the days hold.
In Psalm 8:3-4, David writes, “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, and the son of man that You visit him?” In that moment, David was overcome with gratitude that he enjoyed a personal relationship with the same creative God who had placed and named each and every star in the sky. The view reminded him that not only was God vastly powerful, He was also very personable. He was infinitely far away, yet He was also so close. The night sky reminds us that God is both otherworldly and personally present at one and the same time. In the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we are blessed to have a God who is more vast than the Heavens that He created, but also as near as the air we breathe.
When I think about that very special star present the night our Savior was born, I can only imagine that it never faded or dimmed but remained constant, leading the wisemen and shepherds directly without falter to where they needed to go to discover the One who would never leave us nor forsake us but be the constant in our lives.
Heavenly Father, may You who hung all the stars in the night sky give us strength for the journey of our lives. Thank You for being so ever present and carrying us when we need a lift. Please help us shine like the stars You created, reflecting Your love in the world around us. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.