READ: GENESIS 1:6-10, 14-19; PSALM 19:1-2

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the beauty of the sky? Whether it’s the rolling clouds on a summer day, a golden sunset, or the twinkling stars at night, the skies above our heads are beautiful. Artists and painters try to imitate the beauty of the sky, but even their artwork isn’t as awesome as the real thing.

God is a master Artist. He has made the world a beautiful place, and it all reflects His greatness. Today’s verses tell us that the heavens and the skies “declare” God’s glory. Not everyone will read the Bible, but everyone can see the sky. Even though we don’t often realize it, the sky is telling us about God. Without words, the sky tells us how great our God is. The heavens are a beautiful reflection of God’s creativity, power, and wisdom.

How often do we actually look at the sky? It’s easy to get busy down here on earth, going to school, working, and just moving about our lives. But in these verses, God is calling us to look up—up to the skies, where we see His glory on display. Did you know…

• Every second, the sun releases an amount of energy equal to 10 billion hydrogen bombs—that’s a lot of power! But our God is even more powerful than that (Colossians1:15-20).

• Although clouds look like light, puffy pieces of cotton candy, they can contain millions of pounds of water. And just wait until it rains! Lightning and rainstorms—not to mention snow, hail, and everything in between—are awesome displays of God’s power (Psalm 135:7).

• Every star that you can see in the sky is actually much bigger and brighter than our sun. They only look smaller because they are farther away from us than the sun is. Scientists think there are at least 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. And yet God knows each one of them by name (Psalm 147:4).

Today, consider taking a moment to look up at the sky. Ponder its beauty and majesty. Remember that the God who made the sky is the same God who made you and loves you. Our God is awesome! • Jacob Bier

• What is your favorite kind of sky? Sunrise, sunset, starry, stormy, clear, cloudy with cumuli, strati, cirri…?

• Why do you think God calls us to take time and space in our lives to behold His creation?

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 (NIV)