​It is said that during the month of Elul (sixth on the Hebrew calendar) God draws closer to us to help in our daily walk. The 40 days from Elul 1 to Tishrei 10 (Yom Kippur) is meant to be one of repentance so that we can return to God. The Jews blow the shofar daily as a warning to return to God in repentance. This period of time is called Teshuvah. The root word of this is "shoov" which means to return.
 
Sunday morning at our church, The Crossing, we had a demonstration of Teshuvah. Worship time was particularly beautiful and led us to the tender heart of God. He whispered into the heart of our Senior Pastor, George, who decided to forego preaching so that we could spend the rest of our time together in worship and repentance. One by one people from the congregation came forward to confess their sins for all of us to hear. The sweet presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable.
 
Wanting to be sensitive to The Spirit's leading, it was decided that we would meet every night for a week to focus on worship and repentance. Stories of past revivals reveal that they mostly start with repentance. The first night Pastor George read from Joel 2. "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on My holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming...'Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return (Teshuvah) to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your heart and not your garments. Return (Teshuvah) to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and He relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:1, 12, 13) This is our heart’s cry for ourselves and our nation.
 
We are aware that as we turn to walk on the path of repentance so that we can come closer to the Lord, our enemy wants to put a monkey wrench into our plans. God gave me a parable about how he sabotages our movement forward on Tuesday morning. I got into my car to drive to work. As I put the car into drive and applied the gas, a horrendous screeching and scraping noise was produced. I put the car into reverse and was able to move without any problems. However, the minute I tried to go forward the awful sound returned, and it was difficult to move towards my destination. My husband kindly returned home to give his assessment of the situation. He decided we would have to get the car towed to be repaired.
 
After calling AAA, a tow truck arrived. As the driver got into my car to move it forward there was no sound or difficulty. He left without my car. My husband discovered the reason for our problems afterward. On the blacktop under the car was a large black walnut that had been stashed up inside the car by a local squirrel. I actually saw the squirrel go under my car but never imagined what havoc he would create. The rubbing of the metal against the walnut was so intense that one side of the nut was flat and smooth.
 
This is how the enemy works in our lives. He attacks our souls and makes it difficult for us to move forward but easy to move backward. To stop his interference in our lives we must repent for allowing ungodly behaviors in our lives, declare Isaiah 54:17, "No weapon forged against us will prevail..." and "worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:2, and 96:9) This is what will give us victory in our season of Teshuvah.

​Something new came to our attention as we vacationed on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire this year. It is common for some of the homeowners to anchor a swim platform a few hundred feet from their docks. It gives swimmers a destination and a place to rest or catch some sun. The problem is that the Lake ducks also use the platforms. We frequently saw several ducks preening and sunning themselves on these structures. 
 
This year we saw artificial, but very real looking owls and coyotes on the platforms to scare away the ducks. We all had a good laugh when we saw two ducks resting on either side of a coyote. Daily, these ducks took up their restful positions with the fake animal. They seemingly know that this predator has a bark much worse than its bite. As they bravely fly aboard the platform and lay down next to the nasty-looking deterrent, they seem to have no concerns.
 
Does this remind you of the defeated enemy we call Satan? "...He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." But Peter tells us to "Resist him and stand firm in the faith." (1 Peter 5:8, 9) In addition, James 4:7 says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee." Those of us who know our power and authority in Christ will not succumb to the devil's attempts to take us down. We know the one who defeated him completely at the Cross. There is no need to be concerned about his attempt to place fear in us. In fact, like the ducks at Lake Winnipesaukee, we can lay down next to him and rest.
 
That being said, let us remember that we can give the demonic realm permission to attack us when we behave or speak in agreement with what they say. There are times when we unwittingly make a vow or judgment, or hold someone in unforgiveness, or take on self-righteousness or a haughty spirit that opens us up to a battle with the demonic. These behaviors that send a message that agrees with the kingdom of darkness can be easily rendered null and void by rebuking any offense, declaring our repentance, and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us where sins have been emptied out.
 
Whenever we experience the attack of the enemy let us remember the ducks sleeping at the feet of the ineffective coyote. We are destined to be overcomers. We should have no fear. Our confidence is in the Lord who made us with power and authority to take charge of the environment around us. Our inheritance from the Lord includes victory over our enemies.

​For the first time in 22 years a plant, misleadingly named the Century Plant or Agave americana, came to bloom this summer at Longwood Gardens. The plant originally got its name because scientists believed that it only flowered every 100 years. Longwood's Century Plant is growing in their "Silver Garden" greenhouse along with many other succulents. Botanists tell us that the plant will continue to bloom until October. The blossoms are green and yellow clusters that look similar to broccoli flowers. The staff at Longwood first noticed the flowering stalk in February. Every day during that month the stalk grew five to six inches a day. Eventually, the crew of workers had to remove a pane of glass from the greenhouse roof so that the plant could continue to grow.
 
Since the Agave plant only lives to bloom once in its entire life, it is called "monocarpic." It will die after it blooms because it dedicates all its energy to producing its blossoms. However, when it is finished blooming the gardeners at Longwood will save the flower heads and dry them to be used in the Christmas display. A new Century Plant will be planted in place of the current one, and plant lovers will begin waiting for another blooming season. The new plant will probably be an offshoot from the "mother plant" which is called a "pup." The small offshoots are tiny clones of its mother. Gardeners dig out the pup with its roots and plant it in another location so it can continue to grow.
 
The life of the Century Plant reminds me of the life of Jesus. After He quietly grew from a child into a man, He bloomed during the last three years of His life. He was sent to earth from HIs heavenly throne to display the beauty of heaven and to "plant pups" close to Himself that would be able to root and be established in new locations to demonstrate His love. This is what is says in Paul's Ephesians prayer:  "...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
 
After His death, Jesus left His Holy Spirit to empower us with life without Him. The residue of His bloom is to be used to display the beauty of Christ in the world around us. Jesus told His disciples this before ascending to heaven. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
 
Can you see yourself as a "pup" of the Lord? That is what we are! Each of us has been planted in a different location to demonstrate the love of Christ and bloom where we are planted.

Proverbs 147:9 tells us, "He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call." I watched this proverb in action over the last few weeks. There is a small birdbath on our deck that we can see from our living area. One day, as I looked out the glass door, a raven came to visit the birdbath. In his mouth was a huge, hard piece of bread. He brought the crust to drop into the water. While he waited, he took several sips of water. Then he removed the crust from the water and ate it. I have seen this bird repeat these actions three times. The intelligence of this raven is amazing! Yet, why should I be surprised? God made him that way.
 
The raven is written about in several Bible stories. Noah took ravens on the ark with him. After the rains stopped and as the water was receding, Noah sent out a raven. "It kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth." (Genesis 8:7)
 
In 1 Kings 17 we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet who was not popular with Ahab, King of Israel, or others because of his prophecies of warning. The Lord sent Elijah to a brook in the Kerith Ravine to protect him. God said, "I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there." 
(1 Kings 17:4) Scripture says, "The ravens brough him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." (1 Kings 17:6) I find it interesting that God provided for Elijah's needs in the most unexpected way. I am not sure why He used what was considered an unclean bird by Israel to bring food to Elijah. I wonder if Elijah would have known what God asked Job. "Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?" (Job 38:41) God wants us to trust Him even when what He does seems strange. He has His reasons for doing everything. Our job is to trust Him.
 
Jesus talked about ravens in Luke 12:22-26. ".... I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Think back on what the ravens brought to Elijah. Where did that bird get the bread? Did it come from someone's table? That might be a likely conclusion. Ravens are known to be intelligent. "Treehugger" reports that "Not only can they figure our puzzles surprisingly quickly, but they learn from past experience to build on their conclusions about how to get what they want."
 
These stories of the raven should encourage us. The Lord loves us and knows what we need. Worry should not be a part of our lives. Jesus told those who followed Him, "Don't let worry enter your life." (Luke 12:29 - TPT) "Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself." (Matthew 6:34 - TPT) We need to be reminded of these words of advice from time to time. I am grateful for the visit from the raven. 

Two places in the Bible talk about the leaves of fruit trees being for healing. One is Ezekiel 47:12 and the other is Revelation 22:2. I thought about these verses as I read a story by Will Dunham in the Sunday, May 5, 2024, newspaper, Bucks County Courier Times and Phillyburbs.com. He wrote a story about a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus who lives in a protected rainforest in Indonesia. Rakus got into a fight with another male orangutan in June 2022, and sustained an injury below his right eye. What amazed the scientists is that he looked for and found a plant known for its "pain-relieving properties and for supporting wound healing due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antioxidant qualities."
 
We are told that 'the orangutan chewed the plant's leaves to produce a liquid that Rakus repeatedly smeared on the wound and then applied the chewed-up plant material directly to the injury, much like a wound plaster administered by doctors...Rakus also ate the plant, an evergreen vine commonly called Akar Kuning--scientific name Fibraurea tinctoria..." An evolutionary biologist and author of the study said, "To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of active wound treatment with a plant species with medical properties by a wild animal." The report says, "His behavior appeared to be intentional. He selectively treated his facial wound on his right flange with the plant juice, and no other body parts. The behavior was repeated several times, not only plant juice but later also more-solid plant material was applied until the wound was fully covered. The entire process took a considerable amount of time." The wound closed within five days.
 
Scientists surmise that Rakus learned this behavior from other orangutans in his birth area. This plant, found in Southeast Asia, is used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as malaria. They go on to explain that "orangutans have high cognitive abilities, in particular in the area of physical cognition. They are known to be excellent problem solvers. Wild orangutans acquire their skill sets via observational social learning, and skills get passed on from generation to generation."
 
Ezekiel 47:12 tells us, "Along the banks of the river, every kind of fruit tree will flourish. And their leaves will never wither, and abundant fruit will always be on their branches. Each month they will bear a fresh crop of fruit because this life-giving water comes from inside the sanctuary, and their fruit will be good to eat, and the leaves will bring healing." (TPT) Revelation 22:1-2 confirms this Scripture. "Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, flowing with water as clear as crystal, continuously pouring out from the throne of God and the Lamb. The river was flowing in the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river was the Tree of Life, with its twelve kinds of ripe fruit according to each month of the year. The leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations." (TPT)
 
God takes care of every need that we have and has compassion for every creature He created. Isn't it amazing that this orangutan had the intelligence to find a plant that produced leaves for the healing of his wound? We too have healing tools within our grasp. When we need healing, we must claim the Word of God that says, "By His wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24) Then, be willing to wait for God's perfect timing for the manifestation of His promises." 

​At sunset on 4/8/24, the day of the spectacular eclipse, we entered into the first month on the Hebrew calendar. The month is called Nissan which means the beginning of miracles. Isn't it appropriate that this month occurs when new life is erupting all around us? The glory of the Lord is being declared by creation. God wanted this month to lead out in front of the others. He told Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of the year." (Exodus 12:2) Nissan is the month when life defies death, not only in nature but in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. It is a month of miracles.
 
What does this say to us about how we are to live our lives in this time? We are preparing to enter a new season. We are beginning a journey that will end in a harvest. But one must plant seeds before they can harvest. So, we must ask ourselves, "What kind of seeds should I sow?" Seeds that are well planted and cared for will make for a rich harvest.
 
The beginning of any endeavor is important. It sets the course for the future. We want our plans to align with God's plans and purposes for our lives. Just as the children of Israel walked out of Egypt toward their Promised Land, we must put our best foot forward and move along the paths of righteousness toward our God-given destination. When God directed the Israelites to move out of Egypt, He did not leave them to find their own way. He brought them out to follow His leading with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He is still leading us. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd. "...He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know HIs voice." (John 10:3, 4)
 
The tribe associated with the first month is Judah, the tribe of praise. They always marched first when Israel went to war. Just the sound of their praise was enough to defeat the enemy in many cases. This is the time for us to praise the Lord. It will break us into a new dimension of victory. This is how we war against the enemy for our covenant promises from God. As we praise, our faith should rise. Praising sets us on a path of healing and miracles. Our praise needs to include thankfulness to God for the way He delivers us from the bondage of sin.
 
God has given us the ability to express our feelings. Remember how God created the universe through His words. We are made in His image. When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt they had no voice. However, when they received their freedom, they could express themselves. After they crossed the Red Sea, they followed Moses and Miriam in song and recounted all the miracles of God. (Exodus 15) Likewise, it is important for us to make positive confessions with our mouths this month because they change our atmosphere into one of blessings and set the course for our future in the year to come.
 
It will be important for us to ask God for HIs strategies during Nissan. By following Him as He leads, we will be brought into our own Promised Land where provision abounds. We must let God order our steps, so we enter into His plans for our lives and receive our inheritances.

​Are we drawing closer to the end of time? I do not have the answer to this question but believe that one must contemplate this with all the signs that are appearing in nature. Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Other verses that speak similarly include Joel 2:10, 30 and 31. "Before them (the Lord's army) the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine...I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will turn to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." 
 
On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will take place that will start in Mexico and then enter America at Eagle Pass, Texas, travel through 13 states to the northeast where it will exit the United States in Maine and move into Canada. About seven years ago there was another total solar eclipse that traveled across America from Salem, Oregon in the west to Fort Sumpter, South Carolina in the east. The unique part of the eclipse path was that it went over seven towns named Salem. It took place on August 4, 2017, and created a stir since there had not been a total eclipse over America since 1776. When we consider that the number seven represents completion and perfection, was God trying to make a point through the seven cities named Salem? Perhaps. Salem means peace, and Jesus is the Prince of Peace. America is meant to be an advocate for Israel, and Scripture instructs us to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you be secure.' (Psalm 122:6)
 
The eclipse that will occur on Monday, April 8, presents us with another interesting phenomenon. In its path from Texas to Maine are seven cities named Nineveh. In Biblical days, God saw the wickedness of the city of Nineveh and sent the reluctant prophet, Jonah, to warn the people of His impending judgment. Jonah proclaimed, "'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.' The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth." (Jonah 3:4, 5) They repented and "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened." (Jonah 3:10)
 
It is interesting to me that the date of Monday’s eclipse falls directly in the middle of Purim (a time of judgment) and Passover (a time of release). As we look further into the details of the two eclipses, we see how they crisscross. The "X" falls over a city named Carbondale, Illinois, whose original name was Little Egypt. The very center of the "X" is over a State Park whose entrance and exit road is named Salem Road. There are some interesting parts of the Passover story that seem to apply to this convergence. God judged the Egyptians because they would not set the children of Israel free. He sent ten plagues, the ninth one being darkness for three days and night. After this, the final plague was death of the firstborn which brought about the release of the Israelites.
 
We are a people always looking for a sign from God, just as the pharisees did in Matthew 12. Jesus said to them, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here." (Matthew 12:40, 41) Monday, April 8, at sunset, is the beginning of the month of Nisan, the first month on the Hebrew calendar. It is a time of redemption, release, and new life. The Passover occurred this month. Could there be a connection between this coming Passover and the moon passing between the sun and the earth that calls our nation to repentance and release? Since our nation has departed from God, could this be a sign calling us to repent as the Ninevites did so that He can bring us peace as highlighted in the first eclipse? I believe so. Let us pray to that end.

​High in the San Bernadino Mountains their sits a 120'-high Ponderosa Pine. From the top of the tree is a commanding view of the river below and the tree-covered hills that surround it. In the crook of the large branches there sits a huge eagle’s nest that is about 5'6" across and 6' deep. A twelve-year old female, who the locals have named Jackie, has been laying eggs and tending to them with her partner, Shadow, since 2018. Yearly they return to their nest to do some renovations before it is egg-laying time. This year the couple is sitting on three eggs: one laid on January 25, one on January 28, and one on January 31. Scientists tell us that the first egg may hatch on February 29, Leap Day.
 
Early in the month, the snowstorm that hit the San Bernadino area presented quite a challenge to Jackie. Those who constantly watch the Cam pointed to the nest show us that she rose to the occasion. For 62 hours, Jackie never left the nest. Periodically, Shadow brought her a fish from the river below. We are told that an eagle has about 7,000 outer feathers plus down under them. This combination is what keeps Jackie's body and the eggs she sits on warm and protected.
 
After the eggs hatch, the babies will remain in the nest for about three months. At this point, the mother will nudge the babies out of the nest and teach them how to soar on the wind currents and catch food. The mother is instrumental in teaching the eagles how to fly and hunt. She will hover over the nest to show them what they were created to do. The mother eagles' demonstration is meant to encourage her young ones in their God-given abilities.
 
We, like the eaglets, have also been made by God for a specific role in life. In addition, for us to fulfill our potential while we are on the earth, we must know our identity in Christ. One of the most well-known Scriptures about eagles comes from Isaiah 40. Verses 29 through 31 in the Passion Translation says, "He empowers the feeble and infuses the powerless with increasing strength. Even young people faint and get exhausted; athletic ones may stumble and fall. But those who entwine their hearts with Yahweh (wait on Yahweh), will experience divine strength. They will rise up on soaring wings, and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary, and walk through life without giving up.” Just as the eagle was created by God to soar in the heavens, so are we. Think about the fact that eagles were created to soar above the storms. Likewise, God wants us to have a heavenly perspective on the storms of life. He wants us to draw near to Him to look at the events of life through His eyes.
 
Psalm 103 talks about the benefits God gives to us so that our "youth is renewed like the eagles." (Verse 5) Renewed means to make new or restore. John 10:10b nails it down for us. "...I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." God is always directing us to go higher with Him. That is where the waiting comes in. As we wait upon Him, He comes to be closer to us.
 
Like the mother eagle, Jackie, God will go do extraordinary lengths to protect us and grow us up in His image. We must see every situation in our lives through His perspective. As we mount up to draw closer to the Lord, He will impart fresh vision and strength.

​Shevat, the eleventh month on the Hebrew religious calendar, usually occurs during January and February on our calendar. Its name has an interesting origin in the Akkadian language. The Jews became familiar with it while they were in captivity in Babylon. Its meaning, to strike, refers to the heavy rains that pour down during the month. The constellation in the sky during Shevat corresponds well with the meaning of the month's name. It is Aquarius, the water bearer. The first time Shevat is mentioned by name in the Bible is in the book of Zechariah, Chapter 1, Verse 7:  "On the 24th day of the eleventh month, the month of Shevat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah..."
 
Occurring in the middle of this month is what the Jews call Tu B'Shevat or The New Year of Trees. Thus, Shevat is known as a month of renewal, rebirth, revival, and regeneration. The New Year of Trees occurs on the fifteenth day of this month and is considered a minor holiday in Israel. Dried fruits are always on the menu for this celebration. Also, placed on a plate would be the fruit of the seven species mentioned in the Torah:  wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. Jews that celebrate Tu B'Shevat are reminded of their duty to care for the natural world.
 
Shevat 15 was the original date when tithes from fruit trees were to be given to the priests. Rabbis determined that fruit which blossomed before the 15th of Shevat would be called produce of the previous year. The fruit that blossomed before this date was produce of the rains from the previous year and should be tithed along with the crops of the previous year. The New Year for Trees date is also used for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. According to Leviticus 19:23-25, the fruit from trees may not be eaten during the first three years. On the fourth year, the fruit must be given to God. By the fifth year, one may eat the fruit of their trees.
 
It is significant that the Bible talks about the way humankind should be rooted and grounded and that through the cultivation of strong roots of faith, we can produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. Both Jeremiah 17:7-8 and Psalm 1:3 instruct us to be like trees "planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither..." The purpose of a tree is to provide fruit to bring life to others. We also have been blessed to be able to give our spiritual fruit to others so that they can grow in Christlikeness.
 
Hope is given to the people of Israel and all of us who are grafted into the family of God through the words of the prophet Jeremiah. "In those days and at that time, I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; He will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it is called: ‘The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’” (Jeremiah 33:15,16)
 
How exciting it is that we have been grafted into the olive tree to share in the nourishing sap from the root! (Romans 11:17) We are called to be trees "planted by the water that never fail to bear fruit.”
(Jeremiah 17:8) In addition, we are called to be "...oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." (Isaiah 61:3) Let's celebrate this month of Shevat by rooting deeply into the soil of the Lord's truth so that we bring forth fruit and display His righteousness.

​What an amazing display of God's glory I saw early on Friday morning! Three of His heavenly creations appeared at the same time. The crescent moon was still shining in the southern sky. To the left of it was the morning star, brightly flickering. Below both celestial bodies was the horizon, splashed with the vibrant pink-orange colors of the sunrise. This spectacular array drew me in and brought me into a moment of contemplating the Lord's majesty and power and glory.
 
A writer's technique called "personification" is used in the Bible, especially by the writers of Psalms and Isaiah. Psalm 148:1-6 gives us a wonderful example of this:  "Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights above. 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. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded, and they were created. He set them in place for ever and ever; He gave a decree that will never pass away." The Friday morning sky seemed to be giving the Lord praise just as this Psalm describes.
 
It is interesting to note that the Lord refers to Himself as the Morning Star. "...I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22:16) The morning star announces the beginning of a new day and signals the end of the night. Think about how God introduced the Gentile population to The Morning Star, the Light of the World. He led the Magi by a star to visit the One who would be a light to those in darkness.
 
Psalm 74:16 declares, "The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon." God separated the day from the night with the sun and moon, and the canvas for the celestial bodies is the sky that He paints uniquely every single day. The prophet Isaiah compares the sun and moon to the Lord, "The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously." (Isaiah 24:23)
 
I have decided that my favorite verses to contemplate come from Psalm 8. "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:1-4) This is an amazing truth! When we compare God's majesty and power to our humanity, it is astonishing how important we are to Him in His great scheme of the world.
 
The heavenly delights we see are a reminder of God's great love for us. The moon and sun herald the day and night and tell us that seasons change, while the Morning Star reminds us that the season of darkness will come to light. The Lord will prevail. He will guide and direct us. We must join the heavenly hosts in praise to the God of the universe.