What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?..What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?..LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!..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?”
(Job 7:17;Psa. 8:4;144:3;Heb. 2:6)
Four times in scripture we find God being asked the question about “Man.” Job, David, and the writer of Hebrews were each concerned with the subject. This sublime creature, the pinnacle of all God’s divine works in creation, who fell to the lowest of the low, thus becoming this putrefying, loathsome, depraved specimen. This “thing” brought multiple disgraces to God’s marvelous grace. Why would a Holy God take thought of such as him? “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me”
Great worldly men think it below them to give attention to those considered inferior in their sight. Yet the God of glory condescended, humbled Himself and became a man, like us (a sinful nature being the exception). O, such love, such compassion, that He would so identify with us poor little worms (Job 25:6) in saying of Himself, “I am a worm…” (Psa. 22:6). As the song says, “Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?” YES! YES! YES! Bless His Holy name forever and forever!
He set His affection upon us not because of what we are but who we can become, in Christ Jesus. He saw us in Christ, thus “We are accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:3). My son, Andrew gave me a moving illustration that I believe makes my point. It seems a sinner was standing before God and Satan was present. The accuser of the brethren kept asking God why He did not condemn him for his wretchedness. God's answer to him was, “Because my Son keeps getting in the way.” O, love that will not let me go!
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