Look at the Stars, Look How They Shine

Believe it or not, but being outside on a cold, moonless, starry night has a way of changing your perspective. A group of us at the Hilltop Retreat were sitting underneath the stars in the mountains above Banner Elk when we realized that we were witnessing something more powerful than a bonding moment in the good ol' out-of-doors. Something bigger than a passing glance at mother nature. Something more real than a chance encounter with a shooting star. Perhaps it was the frigid air. Or maybe it was just being away from the city lights. Whatever it was, it was real. And to be honest, it opened up some interesting personal questions. Does my life have meaning? How could I ever hope to accomplish anything in this world when the universe seems so boundless? Am I just another cog in a machine that is so vast that at times seems incomprehensible? Is my light shining bright now but sure to fade over time? Regardless, the more I stared at the unending canvas, the more I knew that God was close by. Every star had a twinkle that spoke directly to my soul. It was a moment that let me know that I am a creature woven into the fabric of life by a magnificent creator. If God could create a masterpiece such as this, who knows what God is going to create in me! So in this season of giving thanks, I am offering up songs of praise to the God who is both incredibly transcendent and irresistibly imminent. May God's light always shine bright from within your soul.