He Holds the Stars and He Holds My Heart

Lately I have been meditating on Psalm 147:3-4 which says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names." 

I recently came across this Elisabeth quote:

"Have you noticed those two verses in Psalm 147 that juxtapose God's concern for the wounded *and* His numbering and naming the stars? His compassion and His power are mentioned together that we might understand that the Lord of the Universe is not so preoccupied with the galaxies that He cannot stoop to minister to our sufferings. He is the One who is in sovereign control of our lives, and of every single thing that touches them. Nothing can pass through the fortress of His love." -Elisabeth Elliot 

I then saw this beautiful watercolor print from GraceLaced (she shared on Instagram that she was having a Black Friday sale) and knew I wanted it on my wall as a daily reminder of this precious truth.

After coming across the verse many times recently, it's become quite special to me and something I think Jesus wants me to remember. 

I shared this on my Facebook page on Saturday. Then, later in the day, my sister-in-law and I were out Christmas shopping and I was planning on searching for an ornament for Lily Katherine, something I like to do each year in her honor. I was thinking of a particular ornament shop we could go to at the mall later in the evening. 

We were at the Vintage Village in a store I didn't even think to look in for the ornament when I glanced up and saw this beautiful angel ornament hanging there, like it was waiting for me. 

Because of Psalm 147, stars are significant to me and make me think of that verse. I knew right away it was the perfect ornament for this year because it's an angel, which obviously reminds me of Heaven where Lily is, she's wearing a pearl headband, and pearls symbolize purity which both Lily's first and middle names mean, and she's holding a star. 

The God who created and named the stars created and named my little girl and cares enough about both me and her to send me an ornament with a star. He knew how it would speak clearly to my heart that He ministers to me in my missing her, especially around times like Christmas. "The Lord of the Universe is not so preoccupied with the galaxies" that He cannot show His love by sending His child to a simple Christmas ornament. I didn't even have to look for it. He carries me in my pain, He carries it for me.

And not only that, but it is a reminder that Lily's death didn't "pass through the fortress of His love." He has always been in control of my life and hers. Nothing touches me apart from what He allows.

All this reminds me of a beautiful song by Chris Tomlin where he sings, "He holds the stars and He holds my heart." (email subscribers click HERE to listen to the song).

Tweet