“What beauty. I saw clouds and their light shadows on the distant dear earth…. The water looked like darkish, slightly gleaming spots…. When I watched the horizon, I saw the abrupt, contrasting transition from the earth's light-colored surface to the absolutely black sky. I enjoyed the rich color spectrum of the earth. It is surrounded by a light blue aureole that gradually darkens, becoming turquoise, dark blue, violet, and finally coal black.” — Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Gagarin, the first man to enter outer space.

Can you imagine the mouth-dropping splendor and beauty that he witnessed?

To have a front row seat to the Milky Way with over 300 billion stars!

To behold the Earth and see the vastness of space from that viewpoint would be a humbling experience.

An experience that might leave you wondering how a God that created such magnificence, a God that holds the very universe in His hands would even consider humanity at all!

Let’s face it… from space, humans are merely a speck of dust!

The Bible’s King David contemplated the same:

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. ~Psalm 8:3-5 (NIV)

A speck of dust that God is not only mindful of but cherishes!

Isn’t it awe-inspiring to contemplate that the God of all creation thinks so highly of us to consider us glorious and honorable?

Glorious.

Honorable.

Truth be told- most days I don’t feel very glorious or noble. In fact, there are days that I’d say I felt more like a nasty troll under a bridge!

(I think we all have those moments!)

As Christians the Bible tells us that God loves us and even on our worst days He believes us:

Crowned with glory & honor

Beloved

His child

Holy

Renewed

Forgiven

Righteous

Friend

Champion

Christ’s ambassador

Guarded by angels

Filled with the Holy Spirit

Blameless

Royal

Worthy

Saved

Divine work of art

Faultless

Complete

Free

I don’t know about you, but I need to read this list daily as a reminder of my true identity; especially on my “troll days.”

What’s even more amazing, NOTHING we could ever do or say can change God’s view and love for us!

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”~ Romans 8:38 (NIV)

How different would we live our lives if we viewed ourselves through God’s eyes believing in our worth and knowing that even when we make the worst mistakes, we are forgiven and still loved?

We certainly would never give the troll within us any merit.

Instead, we would unceasingly bask in the glory of God’s love. We would embrace our royal status of a child of the most-high God and appreciate daily that the God that created all things cherishes us even if technically we are specks of dust. (Not in His eyes!)

So, the next time you look up at the stars, be mindful of God

because HE IS MINDFUL OF YOU!

Father, thank you for being mindful of us and creating us in your image. When we consider ourselves may we embrace your vision and love- characteristics you declare over us. May we declare our royalty as children of the most-high King. Help us Lord to be mindful of you and accept your love, mercy and forgiveness that is given daily. Amen

May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth. ~Psalm 115:15