When the Lights Go Out

I have always loved star-gazing. When I was younger, my family would often go on camping trips. One year, we were camping in Wiscasset, Maine next to the ocean. I remember walking down a rock path at night that led to the water. Tables and chairs were set in random nooks with small lights. From there, I could sit and watch the ocean, and at night you could see the most beautiful and clear spread of stars. I would sit there with my bible and journal, eagerly expecting to hear from God.

This love of the night sky did not fade when Peter and I got together but has been somewhat of a tradition for us. When we lived in Texas, I remember us lying in the field of Klyde Warren Park in Downtown Dallas to get a good view of the stars. In Maine, we would take drives into the country in seara field where we could park and observe the sky. Most recently, Santa Maria, CA also brought us clear views of the sky outside of our house. We’d grab our beach chairs, cozy blankets, and just lay there gazing, marveling at God's creation.

The stars have always caused my heart to soar with hope for what is possible. They have served as a continual reminder for me to never stop dreaming or believing God for the impossible. Whenever I am feeling discouraged about the future, I always know I can look up at the stars and receive fresh inspiration.

Abram (later known as Abraham) was a man who God had promised he would be the Father of many nations. The problem was, Abram was old and without a son. How could a man of his age in life possibly conceive? Only God! One night, God visited Abram in a vision and said, "I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward". Abram marveled and reminded God of the impossibility of his situation. “How could I being of old age bear a son..?”

It was then that God showed him a picture of the numerous stars in the night sky. He told Abraham that as many as the stars were in the sky, so would his descendants be. It was after this vision of the stars and a promise from God, that Abram believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.

I was reading this portion of scripture one day when I heard God say to me these words. “Some people look at the night sky and only see stars. But some look at the stars and see nations.” My question for you today is, do you look at the sky and see just stars? Or do you see nations as numerous as the galaxies? Do you see God lighting up your world with His precious promises? If not, I believe God could be inviting you to see the world with that kind of wonder and faith again.

Earlier this week, I was riding in the car with my sister and two nephews. The sun had set, and my sister was briefly having trouble with her headlights. As she was troubleshooting the issue, she made mention of the fact that it was just hard to see without them. She continued saying that street lights were against the law in Hawaii. I asked her why, and she told me that the Hawaiians did not want anything to disrupt their view of the stars at night. I was amazed.

Since I’ve moved to Los Angeles, I now live on a street that is so well lit at night that I can barely see the stars. Even the moon is typically obscured by large buildings. Now that I can no longer see the stars, that continual reminder of hope for the future remains to be seen. Does that mean I cease to believe or to dream?

My question for you is, what happens when you can no longer see the stars of possibility in your sky? What happens when the lights in your world grow dim and suddenly your sense of possibility is usurped by street lights and the noise of a busy life? Do you give up? Do you lay down your dreams and wait for another day when you will see the stars shine again?

Maybe you’re like me, and you cannot shut off your city’s street lights. However, you can shut off unbelief. You can look through the eyes of faith. You can ask the Holy Spirit for grace to clear the clutter of your mind. So that even if you cannot physically see the stars, there is always a clear view of His promise in your heart.

When you can no longer see in the natural realm what God is doing or where He is leading you, I remind you that the just shall walk by faith and not by sight. Faith sees things that our natural eyes can’t. When the stars disappear from your view, and hope feels far out of reach, I want you to close your eyes and picture the stars. What is God saying to you through that vast expanse? What promises does He want to rekindle in your heart? What hope for your future does He want to restore?

I promise you that the promises of God are never far off, but they are in process. In some seasons, you will see what God is doing with crystal clarity. Other times, it will feel like you are making your way through the dark. But I want to remind you today that we serve a God who spoke to the darkness - the vast, unidentifiable, unknown - and said, “let there be light.” And there was light! In a moment, God spoke, and the sun appeared to govern the day, and stars to govern the night. Don't allow a season of uncertainty to swallow up the very certain future and promise you have in God.

I promise you that the stars never stop shining, whether you see them or not. His promises never fail, whether you feel them or not. He is closer than you know, and He is with you in every season.

All my love

- Leah