1 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
9 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(from Psalm 8. NIV Bible)
How many stars are there? Scientists have arrived at a number, more or
less. Of course, humankind hasn't seen the entire universe…no one but God
can actually take a star census. But observers have seen that most of the
stars in the universe are gathered into galaxies…an estimated 100 billion
to one trillion galaxies. Small galaxies have perhaps 10 million stars;
big ones might have 10 trillion or more stars. Our own galaxy, the Milky
Way, seems to contain about 200 billion stars…an average-sized galaxy.
Doing the math, that gives a total number of stars somewhere between 10
sextillion and 1 septillion. That's a 1 followed by 24 zeroes or so…an
unimaginable number! And to be sure, that's certainly not all of them…
At Wagon Trail Campground, near Rowley's Bay, WI, I saw more stars than I
have ever seen anywhere else. Near the end of the Door County Peninsula,
away from the glow of nearby towns, looking up from a clearing in the
woods, the sight was glorious. Initially, I could see thousands of stars
filling the night sky completely in every direction. But after a few
seconds, as my eyes adjusted, even more stars appeared. The larger,
brighter, nearer stars were joined by a backdrop of smaller, more distant
stars…as if the creator had finished his masterpiece with a dusting of
glitter. So huge! So endless! Such glory!
We don't have to travel far to see God's glory. It's all around us every
day. I saw it this morning, sitting beneath the wonderful shade tree that
shelters our backyard. God's glory shines in the beautiful smile of our
two-month-old grandson, captured at the perfect moment for the cell phone
picture his mom sent yesterday. God's glory is here in the loving care of
family. And in every kindness shown by one child of God helping another.
It was good to get away from my routine. With the familiar sights and
schedule set aside for a while, there was room for God's glory to fill my
mind and soul. And as tiny and unimportant as I feel amidst the vastness
of his glory, I am reminded that he cares for me…for all of us.
Take a trip right now, even if you don't leave the chair where you are
sitting at your computer to read this GraceNotes. Let your mind look for a
few moments at the heavens…be filled with God's awesome majesty and
glory…and be filled with the certainty of his love for you.
Ron Vanatta
Bring a tool or symbol of your daily work to worship this weekend as we
have the blessing of daily labor at all services. Summer Choir will meet
at 9:45 Sunday to learn an anthem to share at the 10:30 service. Welcome
Interim Pastor Robert Kinnear as he begins his ministry at Salem.
Sept 11 will be very exciting with lots happening: Rally Day; Sunday
School registration; guest Dixieland musicians leading a service of
remembrance for the 10th anniversary of 9/11 at 9:30, then joining in
worship at 10:30; blessing of confirmands with bibles and backpacks given
at the 8:00 service, blessing of Sunday School leaders at 10:30.
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