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“O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” — Psalm 8

I was out walking the dog the other night and was struck with just how impressive the moon is. It does not create any light on its own but can reflect enough light back to us that the night can be nearly like day sometimes. Even when not in full radiance, it can make the night passable without flashlights, etc. It is just a ball of rock but can be a mirror, control tides, assist with direction, and serve as a wonder in the sky. If you caught the blood moon, it was really interesting, and I managed to get a usable shot or two.

But that is just the moon. We all know that the sun must really be that gloriously amazing to throw that much light on the moon to do some of the things that I have named. It is hard to appreciate how much light the sun offers when all the world around us is bathed in light. It is easier to appreciate just how impressive the sun is when contrasted with significant darkness. If you have ever attended a movie, you probably had that experience of walking out into brightness and having to take a moment to adjust. And movies are really not all that dark generally. 

It is just astounding how impressive the heavens are. I have not even gotten into the rest of the stars and heavenly bodies. The Hubble shots, and even more the current James Webb pictures, have really captured my imagination and wonder in God’s glory. Some of the most beautiful images are those places where stars are born. 

My moon shot is really not that impressive, but even with a simple lens, you can make out craters and formations on the moon. I hope it is not cheesy (see what I did there?), but it is easy to appreciate God’s creative work in the world when we look up. Be blessed in God’s glory.

Rev. Dr. Peter Smith is the pastor for Farmville Presbyterian Church. He can be reached at pastorfpc@centurylink.net.