The other night, I was out walking the dog, when I heard the Lord very clearly say, “Look up.”

Since I had been praying about the distressing situations in our world and our nation, Luke 21:28 naturally came to mind… “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Me: That’s right, Lord. We should look up, because our redemption draws near. Thanks. 🙂

Jesus: Look up!

That’s when it finally dawned on me. He didn’t want me just to remember the Scripture, agree with it, and thank Him for it. He wanted me to OBEY it – to (literally) LOOK UP.

So, I did.

 

Immediately, my eyes drank in the sight He wanted me to see. That’s right: the stars! It was a beautiful, clear night with an amazing array of stars that I never bother to look at.

Did the Lord just want to show off His handiwork to one of His adoring fans? Maybe. But, as I contemplated the scene before me, there was much more…

The first thing that struck me was Abraham. God made Abraham a promise, when there was absolutely nothing to show for it. He promised to bless Abraham and make him a great nation.

However, time passed and nothing happened.

Sarah was to be the mother of the “Son of Promise,” but she had never been able to have children and was very old. So, Abraham tried to fulfill God’s Word his way. This never works. In fact, it can do great harm…

Nevertheless, the Word of God stands sure. So, to be very clear, God speaks again. Abraham’s descendants through the Child of Promise will be as numerous as – yup – the stars in the sky!

Genesis 15:5-6 NKJV Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

To prove the point, God told Abraham to LOOK UP (literally) into the sky and count the stars, if he could. Of course, he couldn’t count them; there were way too many! THAT was the scope and magnitude of the promise – and there was no way on God’s green earth (literally) that Abraham could fulfill it. ONLY God in heaven could do this.

Humbled by the Word of the Lord, Abraham simply believed God, and it was counted as righteousness. (Psalms 8:3-4; Romans 4:3) Abraham made the most important decision we can make: He trusted God – no matter what. (Rom 4:18-21)

Whatever we are concerned about, we need to simply believe God’s Word – and actually TRUST Him. When afraid or in doubt, we just need to LOOK UP, and realize that the One who made the stars said it.

So, what was the Lord saying to me?

No matter how far beyond our control the promise is, we can take comfort. GOD will fulfill His Word – and may even use us to do it, just like He used Abraham and Sara. Our ability does not determine the outcome, when we put our faith in the One who made the stars!

He is the One who put the stars in the sky, not just for Abraham but also to let us know that we are not alone, when the sky is dark. (Gen 1:16-18) He also compares the stars to the angels and calls them the Host of Heaven, the Army of God. (Deuteronomy 4:19, et al)

So, the stars should serve as a reminder: We are not alone – no matter what happens. Jesus knew the world was a scary place and that it would grow worse before the end of the age. That’s why He told His disciples that He would send them the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, to be with them and to lead them. Nothing has changed. God has not changed – and His disciples can still count on the Promise of the Father. He has said that He would never leave us or forsake us; we are safe in His love. (John 14:16-18; Hebrews 13:5-6)

I can hear Him saying, “Don’t worry about what you see happening on the earth; I’ve got this! I am here. Just like the stars watch over the night, my angel armies, the “Host of Heaven” are watching over you, too. I have even given you My Spirit; you are not alone! Nothing can separate you from My love or My promises. They are true and will come to pass. What I have said in My Word, still goes – even (and especially) in the darkest night.” (Romans 8:35-39; 2 Corinthians 1:20)

Fearful things will happen, as we draw closer to the end of the age. We know this is true, because Jesus warned us about it. He even said men’s hearts would fail them because of fear, as they see what is happening in the world! (Luke 21:26) However, the Lord does not want us to be afraid. He wants us to trust Him. When the sky darkens, the stars shine even more brightly. We just need to remember to LOOK UP, because He is coming soon! (Luke 21:28)