“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.”  Isaiah 40:26

There is a familiar nursery rhyme that was written in the early 19th-century by Jane Taylor entitled “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”  The verse says, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star.  How I wonder what you are!  Up above the world so high.  Like a diamond in the sky.”

I am sure most of us remember this little tune and, no doubt, that a good number of us have taught it to our children and grandchildren as we were gazing up into the heavens. Looking at the stars on a clear night is breathtaking.  Only our Creator, the Almighty God, could have created such a majestic sight. 

In the movie, “A Walk to Remember,” Mandy Moore plays the role as a young woman that was sick and had different things on her “wish list” that she wanted to do or accomplish before dying.  One of her wishes was to have a star named after her.  The young man that she loved wanted to fulfill her every desire so one night, he presented to her a document that officially named one of the stars for her.  When given the coordinates, she pointed the telescope in the right direction to see the star that held her name.

In this chapter, God describes himself to the Jewish people, asking them who compares to Him.   God then points our attention to the starry host that He calls out one by one - by name.  And because of his great power and strength, He assures us that “not one of them is missing.”

When I look to the skies, I see what looks like a “gazillion” stars.  I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that God knows every single star and calls them out one by one, and none of them are lost!  Every star was placed in the sky by his hand and is located exactly where He designed it to be. 

But I have to ask, have you ever felt lost?  Forgotten?  I must admit that there have been times where I have felt like that.  We could probably all agree that at one time or another we have felt the same, wondering if God even knew our name, much less, where we were or if we even mattered. 

I am compelled to tell you that God sees you.  You are not lost and He has not forgotten about you.  In Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.” 

Don’t you think that if our God knows every star by name and calls them out one by one, that you are worth so much more?  Our Father sees you.  He knows every little detail of your life and you are not hidden from Him.    

So the next time you look to the sky and see all the twinkling stars, may you be reminded that just like the stars, you belong to God.  For God says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b