Bright Morning Star
By: Kristen L. McNulty
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When I was in Chicago, I had the chance to visit the Alder Planetarium. It was my first visit to a planetarium and I was excited to learn about all things space (yes, I'm a nerd).
One of the first things we did when we got to the planetarium is take in a show called The Skies Of Africa. While sitting back in super comfy seats with our eyes peeled to the dome ceiling, we learned about the ancient Egyptians and how they literally guided their lives by the stars. By watching the stars they knew which way to travel, when the seasons were changing, when to plant their crops, even where to build their temples.. Their entire lives revolved around the stars and they relied on them completely.
But there is a problem with placing your trust in the location of stars and that is sometimes a phenomenon occurs at night. It's called the cloudy sky. And when it rolls in, your sole guidance system is useless.
As I watched that, I was very grateful that I was not an ancient egyptian. You see without the existence of "Jill" (our name for the GPS in the car), we probably wouldn't have even found our hotel in Chicago, let alone the planetarium. But there is a problem with even GPS' named Jill. For all the technology that we have in the 21st century, GPS satelights fail, batteries die out, and even computers go on the blink. There is no foolproof navigation system even in our day and age.
Actually, except for one. Incidently, it is a star, but you don't have to be an ancient Egyptian to know where it is. It's called the bright morning star and Revelation 22:16 tells us exactly where it's found: "'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.'"
Unlike the stars that the Egyptians looked to for guidance, Jesus' light never dims. It never burns out and cloudy skies are no issue for Him. Jesus shines brighter than any star in the solar system and His light provides guidance that is fool-proof. With Jesus as our guide, we can be lead through any road that is set before us. With the Bright Morning Star leading our way, much like the wise men followed the star, we too can move step by step closer to our destination. And with Jesus as our guide, He points out the dangers and is a friend who takes the journey with us.
In Him we have the ultimate guidance system for our lives and best of all, we don't have to have our destination figured out. Instead we place our trust in the Bright Morning Star who knows the road from start to finnish and we keep our eyes fixed on Him, step by step, moment by moment. No star charts, no GPS', just a God who loves us and who's willing to guide us.
This devotional was aired as a part of the Making A Difference Christian Radio Show.