Posted on by Karen

The Heavens Declare…

{Bible Journal, Feb. 23, 2026}

Lord, You reveal Yourself to us each and every day through Your handiwork displayed in the skies. All that we need to do is look up! For “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1 NKJV).

Though You had already formed the light and created darkness, You “made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night…” (Psalm 104:19-20a ESV).

In looking back to the beginning, once the firmament was in place—that vast heavenly expanse above—You began to paint the heavens.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day (Gen. 1:14-19 NKJV).

Having commanded the celestial lights to shine and ordered the heavens, You continued to reveal the majesty of that creation through the testimony of prophets and poets alike.

The psalmist wrote about the host of heaven being made by Your breath. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6).

And the prophet Isaiah records Your words on how You stretched out the heavens with Your hands. “I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded” (Isaiah 45:12).

Across the ages, the same heavens that inspired the psalmist and the prophet through You have continued to stir human wonder. From ancient astronomers charting the skies to modern scientists mapping distant galaxies, each new discovery unveils another glimpse of Your design.

Over time, You have unfolded the wonder of Your heavens through knowledge granted to us—from the earliest observers to our modern telescopes. With the Hubble Telescope, You have opened our eyes even wider—revealing countless galaxies extending beyond our own Milky Way. Though humanity may boast in discovery, all wisdom and understanding come from You (Proverbs 2:6).

And yet, even as our telescopes hint at the immeasurable depth and beauty of the cosmos, there is so much more to behold in the story of Your celestial lights.

SIGNS IN THE STARY SKIES

When the sun sets and I am away from the city’s glow, I marvel at the endless canopy of the starlight sky. When I lift my eyes to the same firmament You once declared good, I cannot help but be filled with wonder. Has it not been that way since time began—that such beauty causes our gaze to look upward? And through such beauty, did You not divinely catch our attention, and in so doing, provide celestial markers to order our lives from the beginning?

In praising You, Job looked up in wonder at the starlight constellations. “He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea; He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number” (Job 8:9-10). Your constellations—these bookmarks in the sky, visible to the naked eye—have been known from antiquity.

Beyond the marvel of their beauty, mankind has used Your celestial lights for direction and navigation, especially in the deserts and the seas. While sailing, the apostle Paul alluded to the map You created in the sky when he lamented, “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (Acts 27:20).

With the passing of days, years, and seasons—and even in the navigation of our journeys—you have set the heavens to bring order to our lives. Through Your design, our days find their rhythm in labor and in rest, and we are blessed as the earth yields Your bounty to nourish our bodies.

STARS COUNTED, YET SOULS CHERISHED

Yet beyond the design and rhythm of the heavens lies a deeper truth—a reminder that You who numbered the stars also cherish our souls.

With the stars, how amazing it is to reflect: You not only know the number of stars—You have named each one! “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4).

In awe, King David pondered, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:3-5).

You who stretched out the heavens, also care tenderly for us. You not only count the stars and call them by name (Psalm 147:4); You know the number of hairs on our head.

Your care for us runs deep and Your steadfast love never fails. As You said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). Truly, we are precious in Your sight.

In fact, we are so precious that You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to cover our sins with His blood. And just as the heavens have long declared Your glory, one night a singular light appeared—announcing the greatest expression of Your love: the birth of Your Son.

HIS STAR IN THE EAST

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:1-2 NASB).

I am intrigued by the magi and Your mysterious star which they sought. They must have known the heavens intimately to discern that this starlight was unlike any other. Their journey from the east—perhaps hundreds of miles—speaks of both their devotion and their wealth. In traveling such a distance in those perilous times, while carrying precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they surely moved in a large caravan of trusted companions. What a sight that must have been as they entered Jerusalem, catching the attention of the king himself.

They spoke to King Herod of Your star announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. Was Your star noticed by others? There was no mention that anyone in the King’s court had any idea.

Though Israelites may or may not have been aware of the star, to them the birth of Your Son was announced through a host of angels!

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14 NKJV).

For the Israelites, the birth of Your Son was foretold through the prophets as well as through angelic appearances to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. To the Gentiles, You sent Your star—the Star of Bethlehem—that supernatural celestial light—to announce the all important birth of Your Son.

The story of Your coming is well known throughout the world. From the highest of heavens, You entered into history born into the lowliest of circumstances, in a manger. As the announcement of Your birth was to the Jew and then to the Gentiles, so are Your promises.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29).

Posted on by Karen

Nature’s Bounty | God’s Provision for Health & Healing

{Bible Journal, Feb. 11, 2026}

Through a long, bitter yet rewarding journey, I’ve come to realize how deeply I have misunderstood Your provision for our vibrant health on this earth — a provision You established before You created us.

On the third day, You said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so (Genesis 1:11).

And for thousands of years people ate Your bounty. But I was born within the last 100 years, where Your bounty has gradually been adulterated by man in the name of convenience and profit. What is described as food is not entirely food. Natural bread contains maybe four or five ingredients—wheat flour, water, salt, yeast. Even yeast was fermented from water and flour. Now, with upwards of 15+ ingredients in our bread, many of which are chemicals, it’s no surprise that our bodies get overloaded with toxins and misfire into ill health. After my own spiraling into long-term sickness, it was Your bounty that restored my body and I am so grateful.

VEGETATION

In reading about the day You created vegetation, for me it was often a skimmed-over verse with little reflection. But now I marvel at Your provision. Let the earth bring forth grass (ḏeše)—the beautiful covering that blankets the land. And to bring forth every herb (eśeb) that yields seed—Your abundant provision for our nourishment: from the flowing grains of wheat, barley, and spelt, to the plants that bear vegetables, to the greenery that gives us healing herbs and fragrant spices for both restoration and savory foods.

I am also truly in awe of the tender sprouts of Your created herbs (eśeb). These young herbaceous shoots, packed full of concentrated vitamins and minerals, are easy to grow and akin to a natural supplement—an answered prayer as I have struggled under the weight of soaring costs of organic supplements.

Then, of course, there is nature’s candy—fruit—offering both sweetness and sustenance. Let the earth bring forth the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself.

HEALING LEAVES

One thing has recently piqued my curiosity. I am hopeful for Your insight on the healing leaves mentioned twice in Your Word.

Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine (also translated leaves for healing) (Ezekiel 47:12).

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1-2).

Both visions speak of a future hope, which I believe reflects Your perfect design—the beauty, purity, and sustenance of springs, trees, and fruit as You first intended them.

This hope of renewed creation leads me to wonder about the healing leaves in Ezekiel’s vision. Do these fruit leaves speak only of spiritual restoration, or might Ezekiel’s words also point to physical healing? If they do speak of physical healing, is this something new for the future, or a return to the wholeness You designed from the beginning—a natural medicine embedded in creation itself? Could it be that the leaves of fruit trees have always carried a special touch of Your healing power?

Not only does Your infallible Word speak of healing leaves, but our ancient wisdom—as well as bona fide scientific studies—affirm the same truth: the medicinal nature of leaves. Of course, all such knowledge by way of ancient wisdom and bona fide scientific studies were and continue to be provided by You. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6).

I have studied and heard much about the medicinal benefits of herbs and herbal leaves. As You know, I have found great benefit from the properties of yarrow, holy basil, peppermint, echinacea, and so many more. Yet I remain fascinated concerning whether there is something extra special in the healing properties of leaves from fruit trees described in Ezekiel’s vision.

In the midst of this study, I discovered a podcast featuring Jordan Rubin, which felt nothing short of providential, as he expressed tremendous enthusiasm for Ezekiel 47:12 and the healing leaves of fruit trees. It was such a profound moment. I have started reading and studying his book, The Biblio Diet by Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe, with special interest on the chapter on Healing Leaves. Jordan describes fruit tree leaves as the Bible’s best-kept secret hidden in plain sight.

Lord, I pray that You will bless my readings and studies and provide wisdom in the sustenance and healing of Your life-giving bounty.