Dark night sky beckons me as I awake at 3:30 AM. I saunter over to slightly opened window facing east and hear gentle lapping waves from Lake Michigan. All else is still. Husband sleeps in bed. Lab pup glows under night light. Youngest son and friend camp in back yard. I rest my arms on the window sill and look up. Star-studded expanse in the stillness brings Psalm 8 to mind and I pray it to God.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 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?
Who am I, that you are mindful of ME?
I am humbled and small, yet embraced in love indescribable. I breathe it all in—the ebony background—the sparkle—the unfathomable vastness. My eyes strain to see the farthest, faintest speck of star. And then . . .
He thrills me more.
A meteor! And another, showering streaks across heavens so fast I hardly believe what my eyes just beheld. WOW! God is giving me a glory show with a free, front row, center stage, VIP pass! I’m giddy like a birthday child opening her first present. And then . . .
There’s MORE! Another meteor shooting the opposite direction—this time north to south. Oh, this is so wonderful! I don’t want to go back to bed now. I’m rapt.
I love these private, special moments with God when I feel so small in His presence. I can feel His delight in my delight. So . . . I can hardly stand it! I think . . .
What if I ask Him for something REALLY big? Can I? Dare I? I’m getting excited! OK. I WILL! I’m going to ask Him for a really big present! After all, I love it when my kids feel like they can ask me for everything without demanding anything. I love to shower them with love gifts.
I go for it.
Yaweh, I just LOVE your meteors! I just LOVE how you send them shooting across your black canvas sky. Thank you for setting my gaze in just the right spot so I don’t miss them! Now, this would be SO cool if you would send a really BIG one—one with a long TAIL—that is a little slower than the others I just saw so I can savor it a bit longer and be THRILLED by you just once more in this moment.
What do I have to lose? NOTHING! I can ask for anything because God is my God. He’s my Father and He loves me, just as I am. And He loves to thrill me with Himself.
I wait. A couple minutes–not but three—pass. And then . . .
THERE IT IS! OH MY GOD, MY GOD, HOW MAJESTIC IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE EARTH!
My heart is clapping as my hands are clasped in praise.
A meteor . . . with a LONG TAIL . . . crosses right in front of my eyes and lingers longer than all the others!
He did it! He DID it! He showered me with His presence!
Oh, I just love You so much! Not because You GIVE me things, but because You LOVE me so and You love to love me by showing me how REAL You are—how PRESENT You are—how MAJESTIC You are! And I LOVE to worship You!
Worship.
We love to worship. We yearn to worship. Our hearts ache to worship because we were MADE to worship. And we do. We all worship something.
Oh Lord, our Lord, help us not to worship anything but You—who created everything—because nothing THRILLS like You. Nothing FILLS like You. Nothing showers with love like YOU!
Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.
I Chronicles 16:23-25