“There we saw the Nephilim.., and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Numbers 13:33
“O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
When I look at 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,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1,3-9
“The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds…
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love…
Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:13-15,18,20-21
“It is [God] who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” Isaiah 40:22
Compared to intimidating giants, the Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers. And compared to the Creator God, the prophet describes human inhabitants of earth as grasshoppers. Indeed, in comparing to the mightier and higher, man is small and insignificant. Yet…. God has made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him with glory and honor. What glory bestowed, what glory held in trust!
Consider that the One who set moon and stars in place, and upholds them by His power, has set His affection on us. Consider that He made all creatures in vast array and measureless variety, and it was good, yet crowned His creation with man after His image, and it was very good. Consider that this God, who cares for all His creatures and tends to their particular needs, is personally mindful of us and supplies all our needs according to His infinite riches in Christ Jesus. His glory that is above the heavens is also our crown! (Genesis 1:26-28,31; Job 39:1-30; Psalm 104:24-30; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Peter 5:7)
Our daily choice is to see ourselves as God sees, or another way. Stewed in the quagmire of earthly thought and pressures and comparisons, we might moan in self-deprecation or loathing, shame, weakness. But when we really grasp His imagination and mastery in creating us, His work for us to do and position in the world for us to take, we cannot help but be humbled, honored, grateful, and inspired. (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 14:2; 1 Peter 2:9)
How will we seize our identity as Christ’s treasured possession, and show forth His marvelous light? Are we serving in churches and communities as a royal priesthood? With whom are we sharing His excellencies?
Lord, help me live out Your name and calling, at home and in community, for Your glory.
As the rain and snow 