MIGHTY LOVE

November 23, 2009

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, God lifts up the islands like fine dust. Isaiah 40:15

I’ve mentioned Dayton Duncan in a previous post—he’s the co-executive producer of Ken Burns’ series on the national parks. And as I’ve also said, I’m behind on my magazine reading, and I just recently finished the July/August issue of Budget Travel, which had a sidebar on some of the two men’s favorite parks.

Here’s what Mr. Duncan had to say about Isle Royale, a national park in the corner of Lake Superior, reachable only by boat or seaplane: “[I]t’s the biggest island on the biggest [freshwater] lake in the world…On Isle Royale is another lake, Siskiwit. You hike to it and take a canoe to an island on it, called Ryan Island. Then you’re standing on the biggest island on the biggest lake on the biggest island on the biggest lake in the world.”

Got that?? It took me a minute to fully digest what he was saying. I’ve never been to Isle Royale, but his description has moved it to my “must see” list!

All this “bigness,” however, is nothing next to the One who made it all. Lake Superior is a mere drop in the bucket. The islands we marvel at God regards as specks of dust. The entire universe is minute compared to His might and power.

Those thoughts lead to one more:  How does God view us?

He graciously provides several beautiful answers, perhaps most notably in John 3:16, as Jesus simply and succinctly states that God loves us so much that He sent His Son to give us eternal life. But when I think of us humans in relation to the rest of creation, I always turn to Psalm 8, David’s contemplative hymn of praise: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers…what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?…You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings…You made him ruler over the works of Your hands…” (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6). I imagine David felt just as I do when I read his words—amazed, humbled, awestruck, and very thankful—because he concludes, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (v. 9).

Just this afternoon, as Joe and I waited outside at the airport for a ride home, I watched several sparrows scurrying around, scrounging for bits of food, and remembered Jesus telling His followers that He has His eye on each one of those numerous, ever-present birds. “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31), He reassured them.

Such power, such tender love! What a mighty God we serve!

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