Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Stargazing! SFCOG updates for 10-8

Sunday is Coming and Fall is in the air!

There are many things to love about Fall!

Besides the colorful leaves, cozy temperatures, and family activities, one of the things I love most about fall is Stargazing!

The upside of earlier sunsets, is that there is more time to look at the starry heavens. I have been interested in the night sky for all of my life. As I learned about the constellations, I used to have a little star chart I would use to try to identify what I was seeing. It took me a while to realize that up in the real heavens, things were much bigger than my tiny map--most constellations in the night sky look bigger than my house! And of course, in reality, the stars are millions of light years apart and many are larger than our own sun! This has made me reflect on how God is so much Bigger than our perceptions.

As we continue to think about prayer styles as presented in the Psalms, this weekend we reflect on how God’s Grandness seen in creation can become an avenue for prayer and worship. We will read a famous Psalm, Psalm 8, which connects the beauty of heaven, to the praise of God found on the lips of children, and the place of honor he has given to us mere mortals--

1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.

2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

David was a stargazer. I can picture young David, sitting out under the night sky, watching sheep. Maybe counting sheep? To avoid falling asleep, he looks at the Heavens and ponders the stars. He is moved to prayer and worship. And then writes this Psalm-- Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Looking at the stars puts things into perspective—it might make us feel small and insignificant. But it can also cause us to feel reverent, and move our hearts to worship the Creator. And when we know the story of Jesus as revealed in scripture, we are reminded that our Great Big God has noticed us and come to dwell among us!

The New Testament writers saw in this Psalm another messianic prediction of Jesus. The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 2:6-9—

6 But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Jesus, the One True Righteous Person, the Messiah, crowned with Glory and Honor, suffered death for us, ”so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Our own Crown of Glory and Honor comes through Jesus, who is the name above every name!

As we consider our prayer and worship, let us ponder our Creator, let us enjoy and care for His Creation, let us also humbly “notice” and care for those around us, Let us worship our Savior, and Let us declare Jesus as Lord as we proclaim,

“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

Upcoming Events and ministry opportunities:

We will be having a Bonfire at Winsome Farm in Newville next Saturday, October 14 at 5:00 pm. There will be something for everyone, including food, activities, and contests. For more information, see the sign-up sheets in your Sunday School class, the Gathering Place or the children’s ministry area.

On November 12, at 2:00 on a Sunday Afternoon, we will be having a “Kitchen Shower” to provide furnishings for the new Kitchen at Cross Roads Station. You can help us prepare our new kitchen by taking a “raindrop” from the umbrella located in the Gathering Place. There are many different items in different price ranges that need to be purchased to stock the kitchen.

Now is the time to start packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. This ministry sends Christmas Presents and the Gospel of Jesus to children all around the world. We have already collected over 200 boxes, but we would love to have you participate. Learn more at the display in the Gathering Place. National Collection Week will be November 13-20.

Here are a few prayer concerns and updates:

Pastor Gary had a few difficult days last week, but the past few days have been a bit better. Joyce began her Radiation treatments this week. Continue to keep both Gary and Joyce in your prayers.
Remember several other individuals from our congregation who are undergoing cancer treatments at various phases.
Please pray for Janet Walls (sister of Rich Mathna) who has been in the hospital facing gallbladder complications. She had surgery yesterday and is improving.

Card Shower for the Hornbakers!

This Month, Pastor Gary and Joyce will celebrate 40 years of Marriage! As they celebrate this milestone, and continue to face health concerns together, we invite you all to shower them with love and encouragement. Cards can be put in their church mailbox or sent to their home.

I encourage you to take some time this weekend to prayerfully look up at the heavens, enjoy nature, or cuddle a baby, and consider our Creator in all of his majesty, who has taken the time to notice us!

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org