DAY 33: “The Stars” by Michael Campbell

DAY THIRTY-THREE: “The Stars” by Michael Campbell

James 4:8- Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

I love the amazing beauty the sky beholds, especially the stars. They are so amazing to me, to think that God placed each one exactly where it is and He knows exactly how many there are, how they are truly so big, but we see them as so small. As a kid, I remember being outside at night just staring at God’s awesome creation, but a time I will never forget is when I saw the stars over Wyoming. I was with a group that was learning how to be cowboys: we rode horses, cooked over an open fire, and slept under the stars. I remember finally lying down from a long day of riding and taking care of the horses, and seeing the most beautiful night sky I ever laid eyes on. I made the comment to our trail boss (who was a lot like Curly from the movie City Slickers), “Man, I sure wish we had stars like this back in Mississippi.” In a very simple way he said something that was so profound to me “Boy, you got the same exact stars as anyone else does. You just got more stuff between you and them stars.” His words were so true that night and are so true for many of us believers.

James 4:8 tells us that if we simply draw near to God, He will likewise draw near to us. God is a lot like those stars. He is always there and He is the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be tomorrow. God wants to have a relationship with us, a relationship that is more amazing than the stars themselves, but instead we choose to fill our lives with distractions and put up barriers that keep us from seeing God for who He truly is. We hurry through life and don’t take the time we need to truly seek after Him. In my own life, I battle with FOCUSING ON GOD. I, like many of us, live life in the fast lane and have many irons in the fire, which cause my spiritual eyes to be blinded to what God has for me and my life. God comforts us with this promise by saying that if we will stop being distracted by our jobs, our hobbies, our worries, our wants, our fears, our desires, and just simply seek after Him, then He will be faithful to meet with us, show Himself to us and allow us to see what He has for us. God cannot tell a lie which means that my God means business when He says this.

To truly see the stars the way God intended takes a little work on our part as well. You can’t see them just anywhere… You have to find a place that doesn’t have distractions in the way, blocking them out. It also takes a little work on our part to receive this promise. We have to get to a place in our own lives that is cleansed and purified. James tells us that for us to draw near to God, we must first cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. For us to approach God, we must recognize our sins and distractions, confess them and lay them to the side. So I ask you, are you able to see “The Star” in your life, or is there too much “stuff” in the way?

My prayer for Trace Crossing:
Father God, I thank you for your beauty and amazing power that is displayed in Your creation. And Lord, You are our Creator and I pray that as believers and members of this faith family, we are striving each and every day to meet with You and draw near to You. Lord, it is my plea that you remove any distractions or barriers that we have as individuals or as a faith family that would keep us from seeing You and drawing near to You. And God, I pray that You would cleanse us and purify us so we can step boldly into Your presence and that the world around us would see You through us. Amen.