Starry Night

I found it on an internet site
a velvet dark blue sky
exploding with twinkling stars.
They danced
and twirled
and all earth danced in response.
A tree burst into a living flame of praise to God!

It was the centerpiece of worship last night.

Have you ever seen a beautiful, starry night
I asked them.
Maybe in the mountains?
On the beach before it was ravaged and littered?
Or anywhere else in the world?

Did it lift you to praise?
Did you wonder if that's how it was
the night the angels sang?
Were you filled with awe and wonder and stillness
at the beauty of God dancing before you?

What if you could somehow capture that on canvas?

That's what Van Gogh did
and people have loved it
and related to it
for centuries now.

Van Gogh was in a dark place when he painted it,
held in the grip of a debilitating disease,
hopeless
in despair.
Mayube he looked out the window
and saw the sky
or he remembered when he had seen it before
and then he knew
that he was not alone in his suffering
that he was surrounded by God
who really is sovereign
and so much larger and bigger than he was
than we are.

The heavens are telling the glory of God
and all creation bows before God's presence.
Be still.
Turn loose.
Look up!
We are not alone
but invited to join
the dance of the swirling stars
in living praise
to the God who will carry us through.

Amen.