"When I consider 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, the Son of Man that You care for him?" "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (Psalm 8:4; 1 Peter 5:7).  "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

I'm one of those people who need my bearing as to where I am on this terrestrial ball, even when I'm flying.  The other day I got very spatially disoriented (good and lost) when I was trying to find a train to Boston. Brooksyne, Ester and I had intended to take the commuter train into Boston at the Framingham station but missed our scheduled train because there were no parking spaces. We were going to wait for a later train but a store owner told me, "It would be faster and less expensive for you to drive in a bit closer to the city and take the Green Line. There's also a huge parking lot." He then gave me verbal directions which I followed but was detoured along the way and missed the sign to the station (apparently).

We ended up driving all over trying to find the station, including a jaunt into Cambridge and around Harvard Square (which will reveal to those who know the area just how lost I was)! Finally I found a Green Line station but no parking and managed to follow the line out to where parking was available. What a relief to park and get on the train! I’m too embarrassed to admit how much time this took except to say that our original plan when we left our hotel in Hudson, MA was to get into the city by about 1:30 and we ended up arriving at 4:30. Whenever I'm in a large city I sure enjoy visiting, but I'm always glad to get back to the country!

Studying maps and globes has always been an interest of mine and I now enjoy exploring with Google earth. With the ability to zoom in I'm amazed at the up close and personal view we have of the streets, agriculture, and building structures. With Google earth you can zoom out to see the entire globe and in seconds zoom in to see details such as my own house or a street view in Boston. The other day I shared a link to a satellite photo of Boston with placemarks where we visited. (See below in the resource section for this link.)

The Psalmist David wasn't pondering over a satellite map as he was considering the greatness of God. Instead he was looking as far as the naked eye could see as he contemplated the immensity of the heavens. I picture him outside on a cloudless night tending his flock, lying on the ground, with his hands clasped behind his head peering into the sky.  He extols God's most massive works of creation when he writes, "the work of your fingers." He recognizes that God's work in Creation, which He has set in place, is not "set in place" as the result of some meaningless "big bang" or whatever current scientific theory is presently in vogue. How fitting that David begins and ends the Psalm with this praise, "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1&9).

Considering the size and population of our planet we can also join the Psalmist David in proclaiming, "What is man that You are mindful of him?"  He considers the frailty and limitations of humanity and asks a probing question, "Why is God mindful of him?"  Why does the Creator of the universe care for him?  He doesn't answer the question and the truth is, neither can we.

But this text and the entirety of Scripture abundantly declare that God is indeed mindful of man and cares about each one of us. Enough so, that He gave His one and only Son as an atoning sacrifice for us. That's good news! That's at the very heart of the revelation of God to His special work of creation. That care was demonstrated in God's first words to fallen Adam, "Where are you?"  (Do you suppose for a second that God really didn't know where he was?)  Ever since, God has been seeking and saving those who are are lost as He actively demonstrates His love and care.

So today whether you marvel at God's mindfulness based upon a gaze into the heavens or by looking over a satellite image know that He does care for you.  He wants you to cast your cares on Him in prayer and dependency. "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7).



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father God, it's amazing that You have every star in the heavens named; You control the universe without the aid of people's wisdom or technology; and if all humankind ceased to exist the universe would still be in the perfect order in which You created it. Yet You purposed that we would have an essential part in learning about and caring for Your creation just as Adam tended the garden and cared for the animals. May we good stewards and thankful servants as we consider that You are mindful of us, that You actually delight in us, and that You rejoice over us with singing!  You truly are a refuge for us in times of trouble as we place our trust in You.  We give You thanks in Jesus' name.  Amen.

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"He's Everything To Me"  Video  The Imperials 

"Oh Lord Our Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name"   Video  Nice job by a youth choir

"Everything To Me"  Video  Avalon  

"Draw Me Close To You"  Video  Instrumental with lyrics.

Link to a satellite photo of Boston with placemarks where we visited.