Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” — Vincent Van Gogh
God loves to teach through experience, even through a Starry Night. The Old Testament is packed with experiential learning stories —around 72 of them, if you look closely. One that always grabs me is in Genesis 15. God pulls Abraham out of his tent at night and simply says, “Look up.”
“And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:5–6 ESV)
I’ve lost count of the nights I’ve crawled out of a tent and just stared at a clear sky. Ancient nomads pictured those stars as tiny holes poked in the dark fabric of their tent canopy. This makes sense if you’ve ever slept in a canvas wall tent—light punches through the pinholes at dawn. Isaiah, David the shepherd, and Job saw the same thing and let it shape their awe and worship of God:
photo by Daniel Klassen
God the Intentional Experiential Educator
In this moment in Genesis 15, God is the intentional experiential teacher, and Abraham is the blessed participant. Half-asleep and cozy in his bedroll, the Spirit of God nudges Abraham to awake and “Look up.” The lesson? God is going to give him innumerable offspring—like the stars. Paul later explains what happened that starry night with Abraham. In Galatians 3:6 Paul interprets this event into a theological lesson for all of time: Abraham’s righteousness came by faith, not works. And those stars of “offspring” are symbolic of spiritual descendants who would put their faith in the One who created those stars. The stars, according to Paul represent everyone—Jew or Gentile—who trusts Jesus, the true Seed of Abraham. Right there in Genesis 15, God was putting His grace in the spotlight: a growing cloud of believers over the ages, shining like stars, too many to count.
Look Up on a Starry Night and See A Living Promise
So when you gaze at the night sky, you’re looking at a living promise. God is still spreading the Gospel to every people group, still saving every person who puts their simple faith in Jesus.
They Will Thank You Later
Think about it. A crisp night under the stars can stir someone’s awe—and awe can awaken their belief. If someone you love doesn’t know Jesus yet, what’s the risk of dragging them out of their tent some night for a stargazing session. They may drag their feet, but they will thank you later. For those already walking with Jesus, that vast heavenly tent is like an IMAX that can deepen your wonder. “Look Up” and whisper, “I’m one of those stars Abraham rejoiced to see.” Mic drop.
Spiritual Offspring and a Starry Night
Every time I can remember that I’ve pushed someone in the outdoors to do something out of their comfort zone, they are thankful for it. So take this as a personal nudge to do something uncomfortable and let God teach you something through this experience: Step outside tonight, look up like Abraham, and believe God just might bless you with more spiritual offspring of disciples in the coming days and months. Like the example of Andrew with his brother, Peter, I encourage you to pray and trust God that a friend, family member, or someone you barely know will one day soon shine beside you—maybe because you dared to share the Gospel with them.
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ).He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas”(which means Peter).’ (John 1:40–42)
Reflection Questions
1. When was the last time the night sky left you in genuine awe? How did it stir you to converse with God?
2. Who in your life right now feels far from God? Can you picture them as a future “star” in Abraham’s offspring? What might God be inviting you to intentionally do about it?
3. How does remembering that your righteousness comes by faith alone (just like Abraham’s) change the way you look at the stars tonight?
Ashley and Becky Denton
