by Stan Mitchell

How many stars did God need to make? The sun -- which is our solar system's star -- we need that one! It provides life, energy and warmth. It keeps us in place, preventing us from spinning aimlessly through a universe that is vast beyond analogy.

The others? The naked eye can count only a fraction of the stars a powerful telescope can see. And the most powerful telescope has yet to reach the boundary of the universe. Exactly how many stars are there out there? And if we actually could see them, could we count them?

Go outside tonight and look at the stars. It brings sudden perspective. When a dog gazes at the stars, he's thinking about lunch. When a rabbit gazes at the stars, he probably just became lunch! Which of God's creatures is capable of going out and wondering at the starlit sky? Only man can appreciate how small he is. Only man needs to appreciate how small he is.

"Can you count the stars of evening that are shining in the sky? Can you count the clouds that daily, over all the world go by? God the Lord, who doth not slumber, keepeth all their boundless number. But he careth more for thee, but he careth more for thee" (Johann Hey, 1837)

God told Abraham to "look up at the heavens and count the stars" (Genesis 15:5). That's one command Abraham couldn't have obeyed if he had tried the rest of his life!

Yet, as Gospel preacher Charles Hodge remarks, "in all his positive thinking, man has no plans to build a star" (Gospel Advocate Magazine, August 2002). Man is pretty presumptuous most times, but even he knows better than to build a starry, starry night!

We learn two things from this: First, if this is all an accident, then you'll also believe that Bob Dylan is a war monger, Osama Bin Ladin is a peace activist, and that the Chicago Cubs have a good chance of winning the World Series this year. Second, we learn that though we are vastly, infinitesimally small, we are also very important in God's sight.

"What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4).

Better start counting!

by Don Ruhl

Read Proverbs 6 and 7

Solomon explains in Proverbs 6:23 that the command is light. Why do we use light? We want to see so as not to stumble. Spiritually this is true also. Even as a light helps us to see in the darkness that we may avoid obstacles, so the commandment helps us to see in the darkness that we may avoid obstacles. Solomon has in mind a particular obstacle. Speaking of the seductress, he says,

25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. (Proverbs 6:25, NKJV).

I am glad to see that the Bible acknowledges the beauty of a woman and the power of her glance, and that the Bible acknowledges that some women use that beauty and power for evil. Therefore, the Holy Spirit uses Solomon to deliver to the world Proverbs chapters five through seven, speaking of adultery, warning us of the dangers and consequences. Look at the verse quoted above. It is direct. The thought is easy to understand. Give it all your attention.

Surely there are some women saying that a man can also lead women astray. Therefore, ladies, you also hear the persuasions of the Holy Spirit in these chapters and do not earnestly desire a man who belongs to another woman.