Our Essential, True-Self Identity (Part 3)

Ah, the wonders of creation. Think of it for a moment. There are aspects of creation so small I cannot see them, and there are aspects of creation so large that I cannot see them. The universe is so vast. It goes on and on and on and on…

When I look at your heavens, the works of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars that You have established;

what are human beings that You are mindful of them,

mortals that You care for them?

Yet You have made them a little lower than God, 

and crowned them with glory and honor. 

(Psalm 8:3-5)

It is not surprising that the writer of this Psalm, David, would look at the universe in wonder. The vastness of the universe, of which we are a part, is a worthy focal point for our meditation. The star Deneb is one to consider. A superstar part of the Summer Triangle asterism, it lies approximately 3200 light years from earth. 100 times larger than our sun, it is larger than the earth’s orbit around the sun. I am able to look into the night sky and see this wonder! And there are so many other wonders. 

In comparison to the stars of the sky, the sun and moon, the writer of the Psalm wonders why God would even consider us. And yet, God is mindful of us and has created us a little lower than God. (The word used here could also be translated divine beings or angels.) I am created with glory and honor, such that surpasses even the stars of the universe. There is something special about me. There is something special about you! There is something special about us!

We are the glory of God! (I can hardly believe I wrote that!) As those created just a little lower than God, we are the glory of God created for the glory of God. 

When I deny the reality of my true identity, I do great harm to myself and the rest of humanity. As I see communities and people struggle with the many issues that plague us, I become aware of this denial of our shared identity of being made a little lower than God, made in the image of God and fearfully and wonderfully made. There are many things we may forget, but this one thing we must never forget.