Big Thoughts

They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

Psalms 77:12 (NLT)

  I used to take my youth group out to a place at night where there was no ambient light. I would make sure it would be a clear night, which can be a rarity here in the Pacific Northwest. Once we arrived we’d sing a few songs, lit only by flashlights.  I’d then have the teens lie on their backs, looking toward the heavens, and switch off their flashlights. Gazing up into space, the stars shown so brightly, unlike anything you can see in the city. You could see the twinkle of far off worlds. On really clear nights, and at the right time, we could clearly see the Milky Way. Some students would point out the various constellations. It was a beautiful scene full of marvel and wonder.

            After a bit of stargazing, I’d tell the students about the God who built all of it. That, in fact, the universe, all those stars, planets, quasars, nebulas, and other spectacular sights were placed there on purpose by God for one simple purpose, that we might have life. If anything were out of place by a fraction of measurement, life would be unsustainable here on earth. It would be too hot, too cold, gravity would be messed up, and the laws of physics would be a train wreck. I would then challenge the teens to consider that God created the universe solely so that he could give them life. That’s a big, big thought to consider. To say that it changed lives would be an understatement. Many of the kids began to cry when they considered the enormity of a God who was also so personal. Others sat it stunned silence, wrestling with the fact that God loves them that much.

            How often do you stop and marvel at the wonder of God’s creation? Or, to stop and consider the enormity of a God who would become human to die so that we may have eternal life? May I challenge you to make it a regular practice to consider that great things God has done. As the psalmist put it in our verse today, “They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.” When you make this part of your daily routine, the enormity of God’s mighty works will put a smile on your face, just like it has done to me as I write this.