“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.”- Psalm 8:1
On October 10, 2024, I was able to go and watch the Northern Lights with a few of my friends. Seeing these filled me with wonder and awe of God’s glory and power, while sparking some different metaphors and showing different truths of God.
First though, what are the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights, more technically known as the Aurora Borealis, are a show of lights in the sky above us. Colors could include red, green, purple, pink, and blue. The different colors are determined by the atmosphere’s chemical composition. What seems to us to be a display of great beauty, there is a great violence going on “behind-the-scenes.” They are created when energized particles from the sun slam into the atmosphere at extremely high speeds of up to 45 million mph! We were physically protected from this by the earth’s atmosphere! A solar wind is created by these particles and slams into the atmosphere. The earth’s magnetic field redirects these particles toward the north and south poles, leading to the phenomenon that many saw that night.
So, now that we have an understanding of the science of the Northern Lights, what can we take away from them as Christians? Well, there are a handful of spiritual applications that come to mind.
First, as Christians we experience much spiritual warfare and many trials. We see this in what causes the Northern lights. The energized particles are slamming into the atmosphere at high speeds. In our lives, the devil is shooting his darts at us. Ephesians 6:16 reads, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” We are constantly fighting temptations. Even though there are these terrible things going on, God uses these all for our good. They lead to beauty. James 1:2-4 reads, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Further, Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Second, we see the truth that the Spirit is moving within us. As I laid on the boardwalk with my friends and looked up, I was filled with awe. My eyes beheld a display of lights dancing back and forth throughout the sky. It was as if a huge spotlight was being brought across the sky. This was something that we could not possibly record, no matter how hard we tried. Spiritually, this reminded me of the Spirit’s movement. The Spirit moves in ways that finite men cannot understand, just like the lights in the sky. 1 Corinthians 2:10 reads, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Just like the aurora lights danced freely through the sky, the Spirit is dynamically working in our lives in ways we cannot see or capture. The Spirit is invisible, moving mysteriously. Lying there, I felt God’s presence, a sense of peace. Seeing the aurora borealis gave me a renewed sense of joy in the midst of a difficult day. The Spirit rejuvenates us, replacing the darkness of our hearts with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit leads me through life and we are called to trust God’s timing in that.
Third, let us consider the stars. We were in an area without city lights and a wide-open-sky above us. The sky that night was full of more stars than I remember ever seeing before, bright and innumerable. We are brought back to Genesis 15:5 where God said to Abraham, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” Further, Genesis 22:17 reads, “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” God’s promise shows His faithfulness to Abraham and the following generations. He was building Abraham’s faith into something that seemed impossible. This also reminds us of how personal a God we have. He knows each of those stars by name. God knows each of His sheep by name, we are His! (John 10:14). He is faithful to His promises to us today! We are reminded of the limitlessness of God. There is no end to Him. He is unsearchable. Romans 11:33-34 says, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” When God told Abraham about the stars and his generations, He was showing the great scope of His plan, which is greater than the human mind could grasp.
Fourth, we are reminded of the faithfulness of God. Even when God’s promises and His plan seem as far away as those stars in the sky, He keeps His promises. His faithfulness does not depend on our understanding or ability to grasp things with our minds. God is faithful and cares for us each INDIVIDUALLY. That same God who holds the stars in their place in the sky is the God who holds me in His hands and works each part of my life for my good and His glory. That God, who is so majestic, chose us. How undeserving we are! He sent His only begotten Son to die for us so that we might have a relationship with Him. Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” He is majestic in His glory, even the stars declare His glory! Psalm 19:1 reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Finally, we are reminded of the constancy of God. He does not change. No matter how chaotic our lives seem, no matter how much our plans don’t go as we planned, this is not who our God is. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His nature stays the same. Whatever God does, it will never change. We can trust that since we are His children, we always shall be, even into eternity.
That night, when I was under the stars, I felt God’s power, love, and glory- a reminder to hold onto His promises, even when they seem as countless and far away as the stars above.
Written by: Kierra Hauck
References:
Howell, E. (2024, April 5). Northern lights (aurora borealis): What they are & how to see them. Space.com. https://www.space.com/15139-northern-lights-auroras-earth-facts-sdcmp.html
King James Bible (1769/2024). The Holy Bible.https://www.biblegateway.com/
Young Calvinists 