glorycloud's Diaryland Diary

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What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

It is 10:07 AM Thursday morning here in Western Michigan. Outside it is wet, cold, and gray. I am slowly waking up to another day. Carol left this morning for a dentist appointment.

This morning I read to Carol from the novel 'Solenoid' this on pages 78,79 "Any definition of "the chosen" is controversial. It has nothing to with a person's face, his actions or ideas. Being chosen is unimaginable, and for a rational mind built for this world, it is complete insanity. When a Christian says, "I will be saved," the skeptic recalls that there is no reason an unimportant mite-living for a nanosecond on a speck of dust in one of a billion billion galaxies-should be noticed, in particular, by an eye from another world and in the end be saved. We cannot pretend that we will be saved any sooner than a single bacterium in our intestinal flora. Why should I be saved, in particular, of all the people on the planet? What is precious in me, what fruit could be picked, and who could do it, from the seed of light that is my consciousness? . . ."

After reading the above from the novel 'Solenoid' by Mircea Cartarescu Psalm 8 came to my mind-

Psalm 8
[1] O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
[2] Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
[3] When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
[4] What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
[5] For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
[6] Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
[7] All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
[8] The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews (New Testament) the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 8 in Heb. Chapter 2-

"[6] But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
[7] Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
[8] Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
[9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
[10] For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
[11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
[12] Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
[13] And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
[14] Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
[15] And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
[16] For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
[17] Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:6-17
[18] For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
[9] O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

In the light of the salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ The Son of Man The Second Adam we can only sing this old gospel hymn by Isaac Watts-

Lord, what was man, when made at first,
Adam the offspring of the dust,
That Thou shouldst set him and his race
But just below an angel’s place?

That Thou shouldst raise his nature so,
And make him lord of all below;
Make every beast and bird submit,
And lay the fishes at his feet?

But O what brighter glories wait
To crown the second Adam’s state?
What honors shall Thy Son adorn
Who condescended to be born!

See Him below His angels made;
See Him in dust amongst the dead,
To save a ruined world from sin:
But He shall reign with power divine.

The world to come, redeemed from all
The miseries that attend the fall,
New made and glorious, shall submit
At our exalted Savior’s feet.

10:42 a.m. - 2023-03-23

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