Read Psalm 8.
A few years ago, I was at a conference for parents of children with autism. I will never forget something the keynote speaker said about raising children (autistic or otherwise). He said, “The most important thing your child needs from you… is to be seen by you.”
It is a profound act of love to notice a child. As children, we are new to a great big world that can be scary and overwhelming. We need to know that we are loved and cared for– that someone is paying attention. It might sound simple enough. But it’s not. We have all had the lonely experience of being overlooked and unnoticed. Because even the best of parents have those moments when they–due to a bad day at work, an argument with a spouse, or just general impatience–look past their children. And for a brief moment, a child goes unnoticed.
Psalm 8 makes a staggering claim. An unbelievable claim really. Psalm 8 says that the God of creation, whose “glory is above the heavens” (v.1), who “set in place the moon and the stars” (v.3), this Creator God of the universe... is “mindful” of you. (v.4) He sees you. He is always paying attention. He cares for you, notices you, is interested in you. Like a loving Father He is never too busy, too tired or too frustrated to take notice and pay attention to His children.
You and I don’t believe this though. We doubt it. Everyday. It is no wonder that this theme keeps coming up in scripture. God takes notice of Noah. God takes notice of Abraham, and Moses, and Ruth, and Esther, and Elizabeth, and Mary, and Zacchaeus and… well you get the point. Think about who it is that is writing this Psalm: David. The overlooked, youngest child of a sheep farmer. But God takes notice of Him. And before David’s story is over, God has “crowned him with glory and honor” (v.5) and David is king of Israel.
Wherever you are at today, whatever you’re going through: God is mindful of you. He takes notice of you, He gives you all that He has. Like the father says to the older son at the end of the famous parable of the Prodigal Son, God is saying to you “…you are always with me, and all that is Mine is yours.” Because like David, you too have a royal inheritance.
But, if that weren’t enough, God not only gives you His stuff; God gives you Himself in Jesus Christ! Jesus, who on the cross traded majesty for martyrdom and was forsaken for our sake. Jesus, who on the cross, for a brief moment was the child who went unnoticed– so that we might be loved, accepted and cared for by our Father in heaven.
Lord, what am I, or all my race,
dwelling so far below,
that you should visit me with grace,
and love my nature so!
That your eternal Son should care
to choose an earthly role,
be lower than the angels are,
to save my struggling soul!
– Isaac Watts
-- Chaz Holsomback