“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
Psalms 8:3-4.
After an exciting, long anticipated family outing at the weekend, it’s been a struggle returning to the demands and monotony of the daily routine. Exasperated and exhausted by the girls’ constant arguing, I escaped outside for a brief moment after dark— and came face to face with the God of the universe.
Standing there in the quiet, expansive blackness, under His tent of brilliant, twinkling stars, His might and majesty were on display for all to see. It was impossible not to feel His presence — so tangible and close in that moment — and be filled with a sense of awe and wonder.
The humility was almost too much to bear. The same God who created this masterpiece, created me. The same God who knows the name of every star, also knows mine. Small, and insignificant as I may be in relation to this vast celestial canvas, I cannot help but wonder how it is possible that I am seen, and known, and fiercely loved by the One who created it.
We often need that reminder, that jolt of awe to reprogram our perspective. It’s too easy to get a tad egocentric. To create a little world that revolves solely around ourselves — our needs and desires, our suffering and struggles, and forget that it’s actually all about Him. Creator, Father, Redeemer, Savior. The First and Last, Beginning and End.
“What is man that you are mindful of him?”
His works are magnificent, His love for us inconceivable. From creation to the cross, and everything that comes after, He deserves all our praise and worship— and more. But oh how quickly we forget. Our initial awe turns to acceptance, the wonder of His creation becomes commonplace. We become the gods in our own story, and then wonder why we’re always struggling.
From time to time we need to remember to look up— encounter our Creator with fresh eyes. To take Him in, in all His glory, and have Him take our breath away.