Venus and Mars

One day, as I drove to work early, the announcer on the radio was saying something that really captured my interest.

Whoever was speaking (and I really did not care at 7 in the morning who it was) said that today there were two rare occurrences that could be seen in the morning sky. The first event was in the east, where the horizon was just beginning to turn lighter because of the dawning of day. Anyone who cared to look could see clearly the planet Venus shining brightly like a star in the sky. I was really interested in this because I love astronomy and think that it is fascinating that we sometimes can see a planet in our solar system without using a telescope. I was driving in the direction that the radio announcer said, so I looked up and saw Venus just like he told me I could. It really looked beautiful!  The planet was just sparkling in a beautiful setting of sky just beginning to turn blue. The deep blue background and the star-like appearance of Venus was awesome to gaze upon. It was also exciting to think how that God created all this and that I was able to see it this morning.

The second rare occurrence was that Mars was to be seen in the opposite sky shining just as brightly as Venus was.  Wow! This woke me up a little more as the thought of these two things happening at the same time began to sink in. Here I was awake and having this special opportunity to see something very rare in the sky. I couldn’t wait to look back in the other direction of the horizon and see Mars shining the same way that Venus was.

I passed up the turn-in to the office and went up the road a short way in order to turn around. I wanted to have a good view of the sky where Mars was supposed to be appearing.

.How disappointing it was as I saw that this part of the sky was draped with dark clouds and no Mars was in view. This was not a very welcoming or encouraging sight – really, it was kind of depressing to me.

With my disappointment in tow, I drove up the road, turned around again, and drove to the office parking lot.

As I contemplated my experiences with Venus and (almost) Mars, the Lord began to speak to my heart about what I had just seen. One view was a tremendous look at the planet Venus and the beautiful blueness of the dawn. The other view was dark, with dreary clouds and a depressing sky.

I then began to understand that I had a choice in my life today. I could choose to dwell on the beautiful things in life, or I could keep my mind on the cloudy, dreary things.

In life, we all have this same choice.  Whether it is work, family, friends, or situations concerning any of these, I can choose to place my mind on the beautiful parts of life, or give my mind over to thinking constantly about the dark parts that surround me.

In our lives we have beautiful and not-so-beautiful pieces that make up who we are. Too often we forget that not only does God make the stars and blue skies, but He also makes the clouds in the other parts of the sky…even the rain clouds.

I think that God views them both as beautiful, because He made them to fulfill His purposes.

Now, we each have our strengths and our weaknesses, but just think about this, these things are made by God to exist as a special mix that makes us who we are……so unique in the universe. We are God’s own handiwork painstakingly and masterfully made!!!!

Consider the truth revealed in these scriptures in the book of Psalms:

Psalms 139:13-18 NLT

13  You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14  Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it.

15  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16  You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

17  How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

18  I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!

Psalms 104:24 NLT

24  O LORD, what a variety of things You have made! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your creatures.

(Just in case you were wondering, “creatures” has the idea of creations…including us.)

…in God’s wisdom He has made us all….

How powerful that thought is!!

All of us, at times, will take a look at the stage of life and have wishes. Some of us wish that:

…we could sing like that

…we could preach like that

…we could look that beautiful or handsome

…we could be as smart as that person

…we could hold a powerful position like that person does

Yep, we all do.

It is usually then that we are thinking about the specifics of our lives that bring about discouragement to us. At that point, we begin to accomplish a goal that we did not want to; we become discouraged and depressed. This is one of Satan’s favorite platforms from which to work in our hearts and minds.

Here is more revealed truth to think about:

Romans 12:3-8 NLT

3  ……. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

4  Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,

5  so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6  In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

7  If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.

8  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

It is when we place our minds on the unique things that only we as an individual can do, that we begin to see ourselves from a more complete perspective.

--no one else has your smile or the glint of your eyes.

--no one else can pray exactly the same way that you do.

--no one else laughs like you.

--no one else has the unique gifts and talents that you do.

All of this is a result of how that God wants to use you in so many special ways. No other person can be used in the exact same way that God plans to use you!

Just think…..

--no one else has the same relationships that you do.

--no one else has the opportunities that you do.

--no one else is in your unique position of life.

--no one else can be used in the exact same way that God desires to use you.

…And this is all so beautiful…..

Some people say that self-esteem is developing a positive image about yourself.

I believe that true self-esteem grows as you begin to understand who you really are from God’s viewpoint….that is, how God actually sees you.

That morning in the car on my way to work, I began to realize that I could not change the clouds or the sky, but I did have the power to choose where I would have my mind spend its time thinking.

At least for that day, I chose to think about the sparkling stars and blue skies that God had given me to brighten my life and to serve Him with. God had plans to use me that day in such a way that no one else could be used…and He does this constantly…….

This is so very true for you also. God has plans to use your unique self today, and tomorrow, and the day after that….and the day after that…and the day after that…….

You, like Venus that morning, are a brilliant, sparkling light set in place for God’s glory and God’s use today….and for the rest of your life…… 

Matthew 5:14 NIV

14  "You are the light of the world…...

Offered in His love,

Dan Akins