Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Psalm 148:2-4 (NIV)
The stars sing. Did you know that? I didn’t until recently and I was awed by this discovery. The Lord is always faithful to reveal Himself and the wonders of who He is but oftentimes, I miss it because I am not paying attention. Lately, I have attempted to make a habit of leaving my car radio off after I drop my boys at school in the mornings so I can spend the remainder of my morning drive talking with God. And oh, how He has used that time!
While driving and praying, I saw beautiful trees swaying in the wind. I saw the most glorious Oak tree with large, twisted branches jutting out and down toward the ground and then curling and stretching up ever so gracefully toward the streaming sunlight overhead and I came to a realization. These trees don’t have to be anything but trees in order to please their Creator. A tree does not have to look exactly like the tree growing next to it. A tree does not have to cover the earth like the grass. A tree does not have to expand and transform itself into a cascading mountain range. A tree does not have to reduce itself to a dainty flower. A tree just has to be a tree – exactly what God created it to be. What an example for us humans, for the creatures that God created “a little lower than the angels”!
When I taught Sunday School, I often told the kids in my class that even the creatures on this earth praise God just by being what God created them to be. A dog’s howl and a cat’s meow are beautiful music to the ears of their Creator. A lion’s prowess, a woodpecker’s peck and even a caterpillar’s crawl all give glory and honor to the Giver of Life. Oh, and the stars – I almost forgot the stars. Not only do stars praise the Creator with their shine but they also create steady beats and varying tones that echo through the galaxies in a symphony of worship for God Almighty. (How cool is that?)
So why do we want to be anything more than what God has created us to be? Why do we strive to be the same as others? God has wonderfully created us with a purpose in mind. Each one of us has different talents, different capabilities and different characteristics that make us who we are. Be who God created you to be. Use the gifts and talents He has given you for His glory. Take those characteristics that you think are quirky and weird and put them to use in fulfilling God’s purpose for you. When you do, you’ll find that your life, just like the trees and the stars, will create a beautiful song of praise and honor for our Great and Loving Creator.
A Couple of Stars and a Happy Face 