A Devotional Guide to Pray With Gratitude During the Thanksgiving SeasonSample

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR CREATING THE SUN, MOON, AND STARS!

• On the fourth day, the Sun, Moon and stars were created.

As a teenager, I loved to bask in the sunshine! My friends and I would do the craziest things to try to get that golden tan! From sitting on a hot metal roof outside the bedroom window, to dousing our bodies in baby oil, to holding a shield of aluminum foil to reflect the sun on our faces (NOT RECOMMENDED), we tried it all. Today, we know the safe way to tan is to use self-tanning lotions, and anytime we are in the sun we should wear a safe UV sunscreen.  

Just as beautiful as the sun, are the moon and stars. Oh, to sit out on a warm summer night and experience the peace of gazing into the sky lit up by a full moon and millions of stars!

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.  God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.  God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day."  Genesis 1:14-19 NIV

• According to Plants.org, the Sun accounts for 99.86% of the mass in the solar system.  Over one million planets the size of Earth could fit inside of the Sun. One day the Sun will consume the Earth. The Sun travels at 220 km per second.

• According to Space.com, the Sun is 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.(Yes, we need to wear UV tanning lotion.)

• According to NASA, the Moon's presence helps stabilize our planets and moderates the climate. The distance from the Moon to Earth is about 240,000 miles. 

• According to Space Facts, there are 9,096 stars visible to the naked eye. Astronomers estimate there are a trillion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Today as you pray, thank God:

• that Astronomers estimate the number of stars in the sky while God knows them all by name (Psalm 147:4)

• for the Sun and Moon that illuminate the Earth.

• for the planets, and stars, and constellations, and our vast universe

• for the heat of the sun that provides Vitamin D - so important for our health and our mood.

Father God,

Today, I stand in complete awe of all You have done. Astronomers daily study the sun, moon, stars, and planets, and although they can supply a wealth of information that gives man knowledge, they cannot gain all the knowledge about the mystery of each of these creations. I am so thankful for the boost in my mood that the sun provides. It just gives me a happy feeling!  I thank You for daytime and for night-time to rest. I thank You for the brilliance of the moon, and the various ways we humans see it; sometimes it is a full moon, other times, it is the shape of a crescent. Sometimes it looks silvery, and others, a harvest orange. Thank You, Lord, for the countless stars that pepper the heavens. Thank You for the splendor of creation!  In Jesus' Name, Amen.