“With God all things are possible.”

                                    Matthew 19:26

Last year was a year unlike any other in recent memory so why not end it with something that had not happened in almost 800 years?!

The two largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, did something back in December that had not been seen since the Middle Ages: they aligned is such a way that it gave off an amazingly bright glow in the night time sky.

It happened just after sunset on Dec. 21, which was the start of the winter solstice (first day of winter.) An astronomer from Rice University said, “Alignments between these two planets are rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another. You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment.”

The event could be seen from anywhere on Earth. Our astronomer did say, however, that the farther north someone was, "the less time they had to catch a glimpse." I wonder are we talking way up north like in Roxboro, or somewhere REALLY north like Danville?

I hope you caught the big goings-on back in December because if you didn’t, you’re going to have to wait a long time for it to happen again. Our celestial expert said the two planets won’t be this close to each other again until March 15, 2080, and the next time after that will be around the year 2400.

It’s believed that around two thousand years ago, Jupiter, Venus and a star known as Regulus all aligned and formed another “star” that we’re all very familiar with - the Star of Bethlehem - that led the shepherds and the wise men to the Christ child.

It all got me to thinking. How in the world could you see it from everywhere on earth? And then I remembered: with God ALL things are possible. Like playing with the stars and the heavens He created to give all the world a sign that He was on His way to earth.

God who is our Creator and Sustainer, thank you for reminding us of not only Your creative power, but that You have never left Your creation. In Jesus’ name, AMEN