Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled Exploring the Stars was written by Dave Brannon.

In 2021, a multi-nation effort led to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope,

deployed nearly a million

miles from Earth to better investigate the universe. This marvel will peer into deep space

and examine the stars and other celestial wonders. This is indeed a fascinating astronomical piece

of technology, and if everything works, it will provide

us with amazing photos and information. But its mission isn't new. In fact, the prophet Isaiah

described searching the stars when he said, lift up your eyes and look to the heavens.

Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one.

Night after night, they speak of our creator who hurled this imperceptibly immense universe into existence,

and with it the countless luminous bodies that silently grace our night sky.

And it's God himself who decided how many of the shining objects there are.

Psalm 147 verse 4 tells us that he determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

When mankind sends complicated, fascinating probes to explore the universe, we can enjoy with spellbound

wonder the discoveries they make because each observation points back to the one who made the solar

system and everything beyond it.

Yes, the heavens declare the glory of God, stars and all.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 19, verses 1 through 6.

The heavens declare the glory of God.

The skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day, they pour forth speech.

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