The Majesty of God - Pt. 3

 

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? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1-9 ESV).

 

Our reading today returns us to a psalm of the glory of God. The writer folds this great glory with the glory of humanity together like the fingers of two hands. And yet it seems like a mismatch. He asks what is our fragile existence compared to the majesty of God? As I read it I am struck with how it links the wonder of human existence with divine splendor. God is pleased to fold his glories into ours to create a unique and wonderful fellowship.

 

Some time ago I saw a photo taken by the Global Surveyor orbiting 230 miles above Mars. The orbiter zoomed in on NASA’s Rover where it plodded across a rusty red desert to explore a crater. Mars’ surface appeared chaotic—but there in the dust were tiny tracks showing the human design of the Rover. Of course, we cannot diminish the incredible accomplishment of the engineers and scientists who made this feat a reality. Sending a exploratory vehicle to Mars, landing it successfully, and then taking readings and samples of the surface for further study is an incredible accomplishment. However, when you see the Rover in the greater scope of the planet and then realize even that doesn’t give us an accurate view of it in comparison to the solar system, or even further the Galaxy, we must recognize the smallness of man.

 

Here’s the great truth: the psalmist tells us that God is mindful of our human tracks, as faint as they may seem in the universe. Between the abyss of outer space and the quanta of subatomic particles are the personal prints of life made in God’s image. Heaven zooms in on this track, for it holds the promise of a glorious communion. No matter how plain your life may seem, your Creator wants to weave his handwork into yours. Next time you lock eyes with a stranger, remember how valuable that person is to God. Then you will both recognize the awesome majesty of God and the great worth of the individual you have before you!