And Yet, You’re Very Important To God

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin
Posted

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him? (Ps 8:4-5)

Psalm 8 is a beautiful and soaring tribute to the dignity of man. Even in reflecting upon the grandeur of the universe, the psalmist is awe-struck by the importance of man in God’s plan of creation. “You have made him little less than a god; with glory and honor you crowned him,” he writes.
The psalmist’s instinct about the size and scope of the universe is confirmed by modern science. Think about these numbers: It is estimated that the universe is 13.7 billion years old. The diameter of the universe is 93 billion light years. In other words, it would take a beam of light almost 93 billion years to travel from one edge of the universe to the other! Scientists estimate that in our galaxy alone there are at least 100 billion stars, and that there are 2 trillion galaxies in the universe.
Billions and trillions! The numbers are staggering, incomprehensible! God is in charge of all of this and yet, at the top of God’s priority list stands mankind. After all, God chose to create us in his very own image. And God’s concern and compassion is demonstrated in a tangible way in the incarnation and birth of Jesus. God has so much love and concern for his created children that he sent his Son to be one of us, to live among us, to redeem us from all that is evil.
What a thought! God loves you and cares about you in a very personal way. Even while managing the universe, he cares about your home, your family and your work. He cares about how your day is going, whether it’s good or bad. He wants you to be happy, healthy, and successful; to do good, to stay out of trouble and to lead a virtuous life. He wants you to remember him once in a while and to talk to him in prayer.
There are about eight billion people on the earth, but no one else is you. You are unique; you are God’s masterpiece. And he loves you and cares for you more than you can ever imagine. And the ultimate proof of that is the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, for when God looks at Jesus, he sees you.
Something to think about: Never forget: you are very, very important to God.