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?
Psalm 8:3-4
Have you looked up lately? I’m amazed when I go back to south Georgia where I grew up. The stars are overwhelming! Living near Atlanta, you simply don’t see that many stars. But, when you’re able to visit a place not so close to the bright, city lights, you realize just how small you really are compared to the vast creation God has made. When you consider that the stars we see with the naked eye are just a fraction of what’s out there, you understand why the psalmist would ask such a question. Why are you mindful of man, O Lord?
We’re beginning our final section this week in Conformed to His Image, and it begins with the first of the great commandments, namely that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mk 12:30) It is fitting before we consider our love for Him that we examine His great love for us. After all, that’s why we love Him, isn’t it? “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 Jn 4:19)
Only the church can understand how amazing this verse really is! Why would God set His love upon us? There was nothing good in us that would draw Him to us. There was no special beauty that would cause Him to desire us. In fact, just the opposite was true. When we look at man, we find that he is full of that which is offensive and repulsive to a holy God. Instead of a heart that longs to know His creator, man’s heart is fixed upon himself from the womb. He comes forth speaking lies! (Ps 58:3) Even King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, confessed, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Ps 51:5) It is this understanding–that we have been forgiven in spite of our great wickedness–that prompts our love, and the strength of that love will depend on the extent to which we recognize our vileness apart from God. Like the woman that washed Christ’s feet with tears, if we realize we’ve been forgiven much, we will love much. (Lk 7:47)
So, why is man so special? Why would God be mindful of him. The truth is there’s no reason except perhaps that man was filthy and degenerate enough that he could be a fitting display of the richness of God’s great grace and mercy! Jesus didn’t come to save the innocent and pure. He came into the world specifically to save sinners! (1 Tim 1:15) In doing so, He revealed the greatest love this world ever has and ever will see. “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:7-8)
Jamie