When You Look Up At The Stars

Matt Goodman guides us to reflect further on Psalm 8:

When you look up at the night sky, what do you see?

For some, the vastness of the universe inspires awe. For others, it can feel deeply unsettling. Astrophysicist Lawrence Krauss famously argues that the universe itself is indifferent to us. In his words, the cosmos does not care about you, does not have a built-in purpose for your life, and offers no meaning beyond what you choose to create for yourself. When he looks at the stars, he sees chance, insignificance, and a universe that is ultimately unconcerned with human life.

Psalm 8 invites us to look at the same sky and see something radically different.

King David, with years sitting under the stars as a shepherd, gazes at the heavens and asks a profound question: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them?” (Psalm 8:4). David feels the smallness of humanity, yet he is overwhelmed not by indifference, but by wonder. The same vast universe that could make us feel insignificant instead points him to the majesty of a personal, powerful Creator.

Psalm 8 declares that the Lord’s name is majestic over all the earth. The stars are not cold and purposeless; they are the work of God’s fingers. And astonishingly, this majestic God is mindful of us. He remembers us. He cares for us. He has crowned humanity with glory and honour, giving us a unique role within his creation.

The difference between these perspectives is not the sky—it is the heart. The heart sees what it wants to see, but that doesn’t change what’s actually there. According to Scripture, we were made by God and for God. Our purpose is not something we must invent, but something we are given.

So when you look up at the stars this week, remember this: the Creator of the universe knows you, values you, and has given you a true and lasting purpose—to reflect his glory in his world.

The link to Matt’s sermon is here: https://youtu.be/wOvl0iEVyck?t=2441

Grace and peace,
Mark