Counting Stars

Psalm 147:4-6, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.”
When you were a child did you ever lay on your back on a cool summer evening and look up at the star filled sky and try to count the stars? An Australian astronomer and his team did just that. Not only did they do that they came up with a number of stars in the known universe---seventy sextillion. That would be seven followed by twenty two zeros. That number is so large it is said to outnumber the grains of sand on every beach in the world.
Just like the God of all creation knows the numbers of the hairs on your head He also knows the number of stars and can call them all by name. How awesome is that? That just goes to show us how truly great our God is. A God who created the universe and can call every star by name also cares for a sinner such as I. A God who can change the course of rivers and cause mountains to change places can be compassionate to a prayer of a broken heart and can forgive even the vilest of sins and change a life.
The Psalm today not only shows us the majesty of Almighty God it also shows and affirms His personal concern for each of us. (Read Psalm 147) 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Our world today is in constant turmoil and crisis. Our lives we sometimes feel are out of control and on a collision course with disaster. But God is still watching over His children and smiles every time we seek His face and ask Him for advice. Many there are who say God is dead and does not care or exist. If that were true we would truly be in bad shape for who then is holding things together?
God is real and is alive and well. He “heals the brokenhearted” (Psalm 147:3) “lifts up the humble.” (Psalm 147:6), and “takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His majesty.” (Psalm 147:11) If God knows the number and names of the stars that outnumber the grains of sand on every beach just think how He cares for the ones He created in His own image and breathed into each the breath of life. Like the song children sing “Jesus loves me this I know cause the bible tells me so.”
You may not know God but He knows you, knows everything about you, hears every word you speak and knows every thought you think. He made you and He loves you so much He sent His son to die in your place. Jesus, God’s son said, “come unto me all ye that labor are heavy laden and I will give your rest.”
Let us praise the great God of stars and sand who knows and cares for each one of us. Who will forgive us if we will but ask!
The God who made the firmament, who made the deepest sea, the God who put the stars in place is the God who cares for me. ---Unknown