Starry, starry night

I have driven home the last two nights under the most glorious starry skies. I have stared in awe and wonder at the vast array of stars that look like thousands of twinkling Christmas lights on a deep black velvety field. I have discovered that opening the sun roof, throwing my head back and looking at the stars is very good stuff. I have also discovered it is best to do this when I am at a full stop. You can't see as well when you are driving this way.

It makes me think of the planetarium. I always loved the planetarium, loved being in that huge dome and watching as they made the stars and planets move to reflect various seasons in the sky. I don't really know why tax dollars were spent to do this, but I actually had a planetarium in my high school. I got to go there all through my schooling years on field trips, and then of course for several classes in high school. The class I enjoyed most in the planetarium was psychology. We did several things there, but my favorite was sitting in the dark with a piece of paper and a bright light on the domed ceiling. Our job was to follow the light by tracing its journey over the sky. I tell you it was a chore, that little dot wandered all over my paper. Then after about 10 minutes the lights came up and we were told that the dot never moved. The more motion you saw the better your imagination was. I must have tons of imagination. I will admit after all these years, I still think they were lying. I think that light moved all over the place.

I love lots of things about being in the country these days, but certainly deep dark nights that make the stars dazzle is one of them. All those years living in the city with all it's light made it very difficult to star gaze. Now I can see them beautifully and I can even recognize some of the constellations. I can almost always get the Big and Little Dipper and I have had Orion pointed out to me. I know the brighter stars are probably planets, but it makes little difference to me. A light is a light and as I intend to star gaze from earth, I don't suppose it will change the course of history if I fail to identify them correctly.

Mostly when I gaze into the starry night, I am reminded of God and Abraham. What must it have been to stand in God's present and be told they represented the number of offspring that were the future for a man who thought he had none. Since we stand on this side of the conversation, we have seen that promise fulfilled for Abraham. We know how that part of the story went, but Abraham could not. In fact, I wonder how many nights Abraham spent star gazing, wondering how to believe what God had promised would come to pass. Were the stars joyful gifts to Abraham representing God's promise, or haunting reminders of the wish of his heart and the seemingly lack of response.

I am waiting for some promises to be fulfilled myself. And like Abraham I believe God is more than capable and good to his word. Still, at times, I think he moves very slowly and I cannot see the promise being fulfilled. Abraham is counted as faithful because he died in expectation of receiving the promise. The number of his offspring at his death were not impressive enough to number the stars in the sky. We know they do today.

I wonder if the vastness of the sky and the infinite number of stars isn't a great way to begin to understand time in God's perspective. His time is so broad that he doesn't need to fulfill his promises to us in our life time. Tonight as I look up once more I will remember this, and enjoy the display knowing that, as long as I believe, the timing isn't important. I hope like Abraham I receive a little of the promise to celebrate now, even if I have to wait for the completion.

Starry Starry Night light the beacons of hope, inspire the courage to continue and nurture the wonder and awe as we celebrate a God who is far greater than our minds can dream or imagine. Even for someone who followed a non moving point all over her paper. Dream on my friends, the sky is the limit.