“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” – Psalm 8:3–4.
Have you ever questioned your worth? I’m sure that all of us have felt at times that our energy, confidence and attitude is the currency that adds value to the place we work or to the relationships we are in. But there are other times when we feel worthless. It is not uncommon to wonder if who we are and what we do has any real value.
Whenever I have such thoughts I think of Psalm 8: 3-4 (above). David arrives at a dilemma in verses 3–4 that many of us have come to at one time in our lives. He is stunned by the beauty and vastness of God’s world. He realizes that the universe stretches out to infinity, and that he is just a small part of all that exists. He begins to wonder why God would pay any attention to him at all. He asks, “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” We are totally insignificant – a temporary speck on the canvas of history. Any visit to an ocean or mountain range will quickly confirm our smallness.
The fact is, God does care for us. The fact that God loves us should launch us into worship and praise. It should stagger us. He had every right to leave us in our sins, but He chose to give us grace and His love and die on the cross so we could be His sons and daughters. There has always been a struggle to understand God’s love. Some people believe that God can’t possibly love us while others think that God is obligated to love us. Neither is true. No one is beyond God’s love and affection. God has shown the depth of His love by sending His son to die on the cross for our sins. This shows us all the more how wonderful it is that God is mindful of us. He is mindful of us as Creator, as Savior, as Father, and as Lord.
So what is our worth? What is the worth of our spouse? Or relatives and friends we have relationships with. The Bible explicitly tells us that God loves and cares about each of us deeply. And even if your emotional connection with Him isn’t always there, God is still near.
One of the most touching verses in Scripture that perfectly captures this truth of God’s heart toward us is found in Zephaniah 3:17, which states: “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” If God cares about everyone, how much more should we care about those He puts into our lives as spouse, brother, sister, parent, child, relative or friend.
Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever wondered why God would choose to care about us? How does that fact motivate you?
- Does your marriage/relationship have worth in God’s eyes?
- How do you define God’s love? How has God’s love been manifested in your life?