Faith Takeaways When Stargazing With the Grandchildren
I love stargazing, especially with the grandkids. Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”
What an understatement!
Last October, my husband and I attended a grandparenting retreat at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs. Now, Glen Eyrie is one of my favorite places, partially because it backs up to the Garden of the Gods where I like to trail run.
The last morning of the retreat, I was out early. A concrete path connects the Glen to the Garden of the Gods. Once I got on the trail, however, I slowed down. It was still pretty dark, too dark, in fact, for me to run. Clouds covered the sky that morning in spite of the full moon that played hide and seek with me.
As I looked up at some of the massive rock formations in the Garden of the Gods, the clouds parted. Orion blazed overhead in all his glory. What a God-moment!
Today let’s discuss some conversation starters when it comes to faith and stargazing.
First, let’s take a look at Genesis 15:5-6, “And he [God] took him [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” As you’re stargazing, let those grandkids know that one of those stars is theirs. That when Abram looked up and saw the vast multitude of stars stretching across the heaven, one star had their name on it. Ephesians 1:4 says, “For he [God]chose us in him [Jesus], before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight.” To be His kids. Talk about that as you stargaze.
Second, the sun, moon, and stars have a purpose. Check out these talking points from Genesis 1:14-19:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
One of my favorite quotes came while stargazing in the backyard with my grandson, Noah. I think he was about three years old. A full moon shone overhead. Our conversation went like this:
G: Noah, who made the moon?
N: God made the moon.
G: Noah, who made the stars?
N: Mommy.
Classic. I love it.
When God made the sun, moon, and stars, He created them:
- To separate day from night.
- To serve as signs that mark sacred times.
- And to give light to the earth.
Separating day and night. Okay, we get that one, and giving light to the earth is a no-brainer too. But what about the whole sign thing? This may be of interest to older grandchildren.
Check out Revelation 12:1-5. This speaks to Jesus’s birth. Scholar Dr. Michael Heiser has an interesting YouTube video on this passage and the astronomy that goes with it.
Or Joel 2:30-31, “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
Pay attention to the sky.
Third, stars are in a different category than the sun and moon. Years ago, my husband and I took a rafting trip along the Rogue River in Oregon. I’ve never seen the Milky Way with such clarity. Scripture talks a lot about the stars.
Psalm 147:4 says, “He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name.” Stars can also represent members of the heavenly host.
Isaiah 40:26 reads, “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”
Stars can refer to the heavenly host, but the actual, physical stars give us direction. The Big Dipper always circles the North Star. The two stars at the end of the Dipper point to Polaris, which is at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle. Use a laser pointer to highlight the two Dippers.
Fourth, how about the moon and its phases? How the moon reflects the sun just as we reflect Jesus? Our kids had a fun school activity for the phases of the moon using Oreos. Check the resources below.
Fifth, another point to make is John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Light shines brightest in the dark. I love lights at Christmas time. In winter, darkness comes early. Even a small light changes everything. Likewise, no matter how dark things get for us, whether we’re experiencing a hard time, dealing with evil, or just living life on a sinful planet, the stars remind us that the darkness has not overcome the light of Jesus, and it never, ever will.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the sun, moon, and stars. Capture the hearts of our grandchildren with the night sky. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
- Abraham, the stars, and faith.
- God’s purposes for the sun, moon, and stars.
- Stars and the heavenly host.
- The moon and its phases.
- Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
Which resonates with you? Choose one to share with your grandchildren. Let the night sky be the voice that advocates for God’s place in our grandchildren’s hearts.
Resources:
Dr. Heiser’s YouTube video on Revelation 12
Oreo Cookie Phases of the Moon Activity
Books on the Constellations:
The Glow in the Dark Night Sky Book by Clint Hatchett
Star Finder A Step-By-Step Guide to the Night Sky
Helpful Tools:
Next week’s post: Hiking with the Grandchildren: Faith Takeaways from the Trail.
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