Stars in the Night

The other night as I was taking our dog for her late night walk, I noticed how few stars I could see in the sky.  Although it was a clear night, I could only see a handful of them.  The problem, of course, is the fact that here in this New York Metro area there is so much light coming from buildings, roadways, cars, etc.  All of these other lights dim out the light of the stars.

What a contrast to what we are able to see in the sky when we as a family are in the Adirondack Mountains.  There, because there is so little man-made light, the stars shine so brightly.  The sky is filled to such an extent that we can even see the Milky Way!  So many nights we sit by the fire on the beach, gazing at the stars, trying to see how many shooting stars we can catch going by.  Because the sky is so dark, the stars seem so bright. 

Many times our world can seem rather dark.  It’s upsetting to read about another shooting, another war, another threat to our safety.  We can’t help but take note of the moral decline that is taking place all around us.  On a personal level, we struggle with sickness, broken relationships, and difficulties that affect every area of our lives.  There are days that I’m sure you’d just rather not get out of bed.  After all, it can our world can feel so dark. 

To believers such as us, people living in a rather dark world, the Apostle Paul gave this instruction: “…shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life….” (Philippians 2:14-16 – NIV)    Jesus said, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16 – NIV)  The truth is, the darker our world, the more opportunity we have to shine.  The greater the darkness, the brighter the stars can shine. 

Don’t be discouraged by the darkness that might surround you. Instead, take it as an opportunity to shine in such a way that others might come to know the wonderful light of Jesus!  

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris