How Grace Shows Up

“For nature is an image of grace, and the visible miracles are images of the invisible.” ~Blaise Pascal

In recent years, viewing annual meteor showers has become one of my new favorite pastimes. I used to think they took place on a long-term basis, such as once every twenty years or so. Before looking into it, I had no idea how many appeared yearly. In 2025, I learned of an annual event known as the Ursid meteor shower, which is caused by debris from the comet 8P/Tuttle. The Ursids are active in mid-to-late December and peak right before Christmas, at which time observers can see about 5-10 meteors per hour.

A cloudless sky settled over West Michigan on the peak night of the Ursids, perfect conditions for stargazing. That night, I lay outside on the frigid ground, donned in snowpants and a coat, hoping to catch a glimpse of a meteor dancing across the sky. The atmosphere of the night filled my senses—the distant hum of vehicles off the highway, the chill of the grassy floor beneath my back, and stars dotting the jet black sky to offer pinpricks of light. While waiting, I began to whisper my favorite hymn, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," words I’ve found comforting in times of hardship. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

As the last words “glory and” left my lips, a meteor flared across the sky. It seemed like God’s way of chiming in, a physical example of grace filling in the next line of the song. Its beauty and timeliness robbed me of words.

It reminded me that when we allow ourselves to be still in creation, God can meet us in unique ways. We encounter the beauty of nature every day and often don’t give it extra thought. Sometimes, we’re granted moments that gently invite our attention, opening us up to the miracle of creation. God’s divine handiwork can act as a visible sign of His invisible grace and mercy. Frederick Buechner once said, “In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”

The Ursids are only one of two major meteor showers in December. The other is the Geminids, which originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Most meteor showers stem from comets, but the Geminids are unique in that they derive from an asteroid. They are active from late November to late December, with their peak in mid-December. It seems fitting that these two beautiful celestial shows take place during the season of Advent, a time of waiting. They give us something to look forward to, something to stand in awe of, an avenue to encounter grace—all as we wait for the arrival of our Savior.

Sometimes we can become so focused on the things we wait for that we forget to cherish the quiet gifts already in hand. We need patience for waiting, and beauty has a way of teaching us patience. Perhaps these meteor showers serve as a microcosm of possibilities that offer abundant joy, even in chapters of waiting. What might that look like for you today?

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Photocred: Unsplash