“The stars are brightly shining”.  

That line from the well known Christmas song  took on a fresh new meaning this past week.  A recently released study suggests that instead of the universe having billions and billions of stars as previously thought, there are actually 300 sextillion of them.  I’ve never heard the term sextillion before. That’s a 3 followed by 23 zeros.  That’s a lot of stars.

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Psalm 147:4

So God didn’t need a new scientific study.  He had already counted the stars…and named them, too.  He already knew each one individually.   Why the personal attention?  He created them to praise Him.

Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! Psalm 148:3

There’s something about December stars that seem brighter.  Maybe that’s why God chose one to be a part of the Christmas story.  Makes me wonder what its name was.  The next time you step out into a winter night – especially a Christmas season winter night, look up and  really see the stars.  And imagine that every single one of them has a name and every single one of them is praising God. 

300 sextillion.  That’s a lot of stars.  That’s a lot of praise.

The stars are brightly shining.

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; Not one is missing. Isaiah 40:26

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:3-5