Psalm 147:4

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.


Devotional Thoughts

By Jim Cymbala

The next time you are faced with an insurmountable problem, I would advise you to look into the heavens on a clear night. The evidence of God’s greatness is right above your head. Scientists say there are about 7,000 stars visible to the naked eye, though only about 2,000 of these can be seen at any one time and place. So even on the clearest night you see less than a third of all the stars visible to people around the world.

But that is not the end of it. Recent studies indicate that there are far more stars than the eye can see, perhaps 200 billion in our own galaxy, and the Milky Way is just one of millions of galaxies! Though no one knows exactly how many stars that are, one estimate puts the number at three thousand million billion stars — a three with sixteen zeroes behind it!

As God assures us, the “heavens are the work of [his] hands” (Psalm 102:25). He merely “commanded and they were created” (Psalm 148:5). Just one word from him, and three thousand million billion stars came into being. What’s more, Scripture tells us that God “determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” (Psalm 147:4). God promised to make Abraham the father of many children even though he was an old man married to Sarah, who was herself old and barren. The Lord said Abraham’s offspring would be so numerous that they could not be counted: “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted” (Genesis 13:16).

Think about it! What “big” problem are you facing right now that is too hard for him? What possible need is beyond his ability to supply? Look up at night into the heavens and let every star inspire you to do what Abraham did — he believed God and received blessings that he could not possibly imagine.