A Sunrise to Remember

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It was Christmas Eve, 1968. Three astronauts loop behind the moon, and as their capsule rolls, they see it. The blue earth rising over a gray horizon. Bill Anders scrambles for a camera. Frank Borman steadies the ship. And Jim Lovell stares in awe. From a quarter million miles away, home looks incredibly beautiful. That night, with the world listening, the crew decides to speak into the silence from lunar orbit.

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But what do you say to billions of people on Christmas Eve?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I am Bart Leger, and I've been a pastor for 40 years.

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If your mornings feel rushed or routine, today's devotion is a simple invitation. Slow down, look up, and let the sky remind you of the God who made it.

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Psalm 19.1 says, The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship.

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Whether you're in lunar orbit or standing in your front yard, the skies display God's wonderful handiwork. If an earth rise can preach from 240,000 miles away, it can surely remind us, right here and now, of the God who made it. Every single morning, without fail, the sun rises.

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Some days, it's a breathtaking splash of color across the horizon. And other days, it's hidden behind the clouds. But it doesn't matter whether you notice it or not, it's there, faithfully showing up every morning, every new day, declaring something about God.

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David says, The heavens proclaim His glory. The skies are literally telling a story every day about who God is. They speak of His power because only He can hang a star in place. They speak of His creativity because no two sunsets are exactly the same.

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And they speak of His faithfulness because the sun rises whether we're ready for it or not. But here's the thing.

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You have to look up to see it.

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And in a world where our heads are often buried in a phone, rushing from one thing to the next, we can miss it entirely.

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God's reminders of His presence are often right in front of us, if we just slow down enough to notice. That's not just true for the sky. It's true for life.

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Maybe God's been putting reminders of His beauty and His goodness right in your path all week. A conversation you didn't expect. A moment of laughter with a friend. A prayer answered in a small, quiet way. The question is, are you seeing it?

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Back on Apollo 8, the crew opened a Bible and took turns reading from the book of Genesis.

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They read, In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.

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And then, they closed with this line to everyone back home. Good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you on the good earth. Anders' Earthrise photo snapped that same evening, gave the planet a new way to see itself. One moment, they were on a scientific mission. The next, they were giving the world a sermon in the sky. Here's my challenge for you today.

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Tomorrow morning, before the day starts, step outside and watch the sunrise, even for a few minutes. Let the sky speak to you. Let it remind you that the same God who painted it is the one who holds your life together.

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Father, thank you for the beauty you put all around us every single day. Forgive us for rushing past it. Help us to slow down, look up, and remember that the heavens proclaim your glory.

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May we live today aware of your presence and grateful for your faithfulness. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, the heavens are still declaring God's glory. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth.

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Until then, God bless, and have a great day.