Real Thanksgiving of AWE

I grew up in Rural North Dakota. I spent a lot of time on my back with a telescope. John Redlin and I would lay on a blanket in his back yard. I later would often find myself out on a hill near Ranch 2 at midnite looking up. Sometimes it would be clear as a bell in winter. The nearest yard light would be 2 miles away. The stars would be so bright, you could see the color differences between them.

It was more than just pedantic identification. To see the milky way streak across the sky and know that I was seeing billions of suns with planets around them gave me a sense of awe I carry to this day. How could I not believe in God seeing this. Paul the Apostle wrote of this in Romans 1:20 (NKJV) that,

"“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. . ."


There were times when we lived north of Fargo that at 3AM the northern lights would be so bright you could almost see your shadow. It would seem as if you could actually hear them. They would humm. The telephone and power lines seemed to pick up the noise of them and reflect them.

I say this because I just looked at some pictures I want to show you from the Hubble telescope. I think the lack of faith in God exists because other lesser lights have dimmed our capacity to see the majesty that is the heavens. No wonder David wrote of what they saw at night with such eloquence:

"“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands."” (Psalm 19:1)

"“O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens! " "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained;" "O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth!"” (Psalm 8:1,3,9)

"“Thy heavens, the work of the Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained" "Thou dost make him [man] to rule over the works of Thy hands, Thou has put all things under his feet"” (Psalms 8:3,6).

And Moses warns people to understand that God created these things and that we are not to worship them but worship God. The beauty of the stars are a gift, a heritage to us.

"“And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage" (Deuteronomy 4:19).

So, with that understanding, take a look at the pictures here. When your breath is taken away and you stand in awe, remember your and their creator are ONE.

And say Thank You.