North Star
Dark nights, with no clouds and a small moon were the best nights for seeing them. My mother would regularly point out the vast display of stars in the night skies. We lived in central Minnesota and our home was positioned beautifully on a small lightly populated lake. Light pollution was minimal as our yard only had a single security light that was shared with a cabin next door. And it got dark, very dark.
Picking out the Big Dipper was easy and I was able to do so nearly every clear night. The Little Dipper was a bit more challenging. But ahhhhh, the Milky Way. That was a sight to behold. Mesmerizing. Those were special nights.
Oddly the one star I struggled to find was the North Star. I was told it was just a bit brighter than all the other stars. I would compare and contrast the stars as I searched to the north. The stars all seemed so bright! Often I would search in vain. Other nights, feeling proud and fulfilled, I was certain I had found it.
The North Star is known to be a guiding light. It is alway found in the northern sky and can be relied upon to find direction. It’s navigational history goes back hundreds of years. It’s been said that, “The North Star is a constant reminder that the path may not be easy, but it’s always worth the journey.” (Author unknown)
Fortunately it isn’t often that I find myself lost in the dark outdoors in need of the navigation of the North Star. What I do find however is a need for guidance each day to navigate my life.
In the same way I needed to look into the night sky to find the North Star, I now need to look into the scriptures to find Jesus each day for guidance. It is only through Him that I can truly navigate the challenges of this world.
Psalms 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” The God of the universe, the one who created the North Star, wants to teach and guide me. This is truly amazing.
Yet I need to do my part. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Yes, Jesus will guide me but I need to trust Him to do so. I need to put aside all the other things that distract me. Those “bright stars” of the world and in my mind that are always present distracting me from the true North Star – Jesus.
Through trust I then find peace as outlined in Isaiah 26:3, “You [God] will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
I have found that there is truth in the above quote about the North Star when following Jesus, the path may not be easy but it’s worth the journey. Join me in finding your North Star in Jesus. You too can find guidance to navigated this world and be filed with peace in trusting Him.
Want to know more about accepting Jesus? Text “I need Jesus” to 410-936-4252.
JW