“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” – Psalm 19:1
Our late-night tour of Sydney by Mario and Caroline, our Christian brother and sister, gave us fantastic views of the Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, both recognizable around the world. It also gave us a dusty peek at the southern hemisphere sky from way down under.
I love going outside on a clear night and looking up at the stars. Down here, the sky looks different than what I see back home in Rochester, NY. The Big Dipper and Little Dipper can be seen on any clear night in Rochester, but they are mostly out of sight in Ukurumpa this time of year; they set in the north-northwest shortly after the sun. With PNG being slightly south of the equator, the "tail" star of the Little Dipper, Polaris (the North Star), is entirely out of view, being situated directly over the earth's north pole. Other familiar constellations are still visible: Pegasus (the winged horse), Orion (the hunter) and Canis Major (the Big Dog) rise as the evening wears on. Others, not so easily seen from home, are much more prominent here: Scorpio (the scorpion), Saggitarius (the archer) and Centaur (the man-horse), to name a few.
In Ukarumpa, because of the bright security lights, a view of the nighttime sky is often obscured by the surrounding light pollution. But even just stepping into the shadows reveals a view I have never seen up north. The stars of the Milky Way glow with a brightness I had not imagined. The bulging center of our galaxy is easily seen, with one of its pinwheel arms extending northward across the sky. There’s simply a better view of it in the Southern Hemisphere. For someone who loves astronomy, these views are breathtaking. For someone who also loves God, they are nothing less than awe-inspiring.
Whether part of God's great plan or the fanciful minds of those who defined the constellations, the northern and southern skies both declare the good news of Jesus in the stars. The Northern Cross is emblazoned across the northern sky; the Southern Cross graces (no pun!) the south. We could see the Southern Cross high overhead from Sydney. From near the equator, one can see them both – two great testimonies of one great act of transcendent love!
When I look upon the vastness of space and behold the uncounted billions of stars in our own galaxy and beyond, I cannot help but praise the God who created them. Some will think that statement odd – especially those who refuse to believe that the universe is the product of a divine creator. I am certain that God created the heavens and the earth, but more than faith declares it is so; more and more, scientific evidence and rational thought declare it as well. Consider this statement from author Dinesh D'Souza in his discussion of the continuing discoveries by astrophysicists:
“In a stunning confirmation of the book of Genesis, modern scientists have discovered that the universe was created in a primordial explosion of energy and light. Not only did the universe have a beginning in space and time, but the origin of the universe was also a beginning for space and time. Space and time did not exist prior to the universe. If you accept that everything that has a beginning has a cause, then the material universe had a nonmaterial or spiritual cause. This spiritual cause brought the universe into existence using none of the laws of physics. The creation of the universe was, in the quite literal meaning of the term, a miracle. Its creaor is known to be a spiritual, eternal being of creativity and power beyond all conceivable limits.
The finding of modern physics that the universe has a beginning in space and in time [is] one of the most important scientific discoveries ever made. It provides, for all who take the trouble to understand and reflect upon it, powerful and convincing evidence of the existence of an eternal, supernatural being that created our world and everything in it.” (From the New York Times Best Seller, What's So Great About Christianity.)
Note: The Southern Cross, which could be seen high overhead from Sydney, is also prominently displayed on the Australian flag, providing a national reminder of Australia’s heritage of Christian faith.
I love going outside on a clear night and looking up at the stars. Down here, the sky looks different than what I see back home in Rochester, NY. The Big Dipper and Little Dipper can be seen on any clear night in Rochester, but they are mostly out of sight in Ukurumpa this time of year; they set in the north-northwest shortly after the sun. With PNG being slightly south of the equator, the "tail" star of the Little Dipper, Polaris (the North Star), is entirely out of view, being situated directly over the earth's north pole. Other familiar constellations are still visible: Pegasus (the winged horse), Orion (the hunter) and Canis Major (the Big Dog) rise as the evening wears on. Others, not so easily seen from home, are much more prominent here: Scorpio (the scorpion), Saggitarius (the archer) and Centaur (the man-horse), to name a few.
In Ukarumpa, because of the bright security lights, a view of the nighttime sky is often obscured by the surrounding light pollution. But even just stepping into the shadows reveals a view I have never seen up north. The stars of the Milky Way glow with a brightness I had not imagined. The bulging center of our galaxy is easily seen, with one of its pinwheel arms extending northward across the sky. There’s simply a better view of it in the Southern Hemisphere. For someone who loves astronomy, these views are breathtaking. For someone who also loves God, they are nothing less than awe-inspiring.
Whether part of God's great plan or the fanciful minds of those who defined the constellations, the northern and southern skies both declare the good news of Jesus in the stars. The Northern Cross is emblazoned across the northern sky; the Southern Cross graces (no pun!) the south. We could see the Southern Cross high overhead from Sydney. From near the equator, one can see them both – two great testimonies of one great act of transcendent love!
When I look upon the vastness of space and behold the uncounted billions of stars in our own galaxy and beyond, I cannot help but praise the God who created them. Some will think that statement odd – especially those who refuse to believe that the universe is the product of a divine creator. I am certain that God created the heavens and the earth, but more than faith declares it is so; more and more, scientific evidence and rational thought declare it as well. Consider this statement from author Dinesh D'Souza in his discussion of the continuing discoveries by astrophysicists:
“In a stunning confirmation of the book of Genesis, modern scientists have discovered that the universe was created in a primordial explosion of energy and light. Not only did the universe have a beginning in space and time, but the origin of the universe was also a beginning for space and time. Space and time did not exist prior to the universe. If you accept that everything that has a beginning has a cause, then the material universe had a nonmaterial or spiritual cause. This spiritual cause brought the universe into existence using none of the laws of physics. The creation of the universe was, in the quite literal meaning of the term, a miracle. Its creaor is known to be a spiritual, eternal being of creativity and power beyond all conceivable limits.
The finding of modern physics that the universe has a beginning in space and in time [is] one of the most important scientific discoveries ever made. It provides, for all who take the trouble to understand and reflect upon it, powerful and convincing evidence of the existence of an eternal, supernatural being that created our world and everything in it.” (From the New York Times Best Seller, What's So Great About Christianity.)
Note: The Southern Cross, which could be seen high overhead from Sydney, is also prominently displayed on the Australian flag, providing a national reminder of Australia’s heritage of Christian faith.
