“Creator of the Stars of Night,” Verse 1 (ELW 245)
Devotion
Creator of the stars of night,
your people's everlasting light,
O Christ, redeemer of us all,
we pray you hear us when we call.
Have you noticed that most of God's creatures look downward? As do we, though we are best suited by our creator to look ahead and up. An architect in Cambridge, England, once told my wife that one should always look up when sightseeing, so as not to miss buildings' architectural beauty, which is usually above street level.
Our hymn reminds us that the stars we see above are evidence of God’s creative work, and that we, of all God's creatures, are privileged to comprehend that glorious fact. Furthermore, our hymn announces that Jesus has redeemed us all and, finally, invites us to call upon him in prayer. Could one of those stars be the Christmas star that leads you to Christ?
Prayer
God of the universe, may my contemplation of your creation lead me back to you. Amen.