Significant
An old TV sitcom featured an establishment that the patrons seemed to frequent on a daily basis. The concept was that it was a welcoming place where “everybody knows your name.”
We all want to be accepted, to fit in somewhere. But some people live on the margins of life where it can be difficult to feel they have any value or significance, or that they matter to anyone. Children sometimes experience this: Too tall—when other kids haven’t had a growth spurt yet. Too fat—when the other kids are thinner. Too smart—when their classmates are struggling. Or “not smart enough” in comparison with others. Being different as a child can result in being mocked or bullied. But an adult who doesn’t fit into the mold may just be ignored—so insignificant that he or she feels invisible.
But what a great significance we have in God’s eyes! We were so valued that He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins and to allow us to have a relationship with Him. We were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and He has designed us and been involved in every detail of our life since before we were born (Ps. 139:1-16). Whether or not we always feel significant, we are deeply loved by our Father.
Of all creation’s treasures rare,
Not one compares in worth with man,
In God’s own image we were made
To fill a place in His great plan. —D. De Haan
Not one compares in worth with man,
In God’s own image we were made
To fill a place in His great plan. —D. De Haan
The God who created the universe is the God who loves you.
Psalm 139:1-16 (New King James Version)
Psalm 139
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 139:11 Vulgate and Symmachus read cover.
- Psalm 139:14 Following Masoretic Text and Targum; Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read You are fearfully wonderful.
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Psalm 139:1-16 (New International Version)
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
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Lyric in Bahasa Indonesia & translated to English by my interpretation
Ketika ku hadapi kehidupan ini (As I face this life of mine)
jalan mana yg harus kupilih (to determine which path I choose)
ku tahu ku tak mampu (I understand I am incapable)
ku tahu ku tak sanggup (I understand I am unable)
hanya kau Tuhan tempat jawabanku (As the answer is through God)
ku pun tahu ku tak pernah sendiri (For I acknowledged am never alone -in this struggle- )
selama engkau Allah yg menggendongku (As always God embraces -to carry like a parent to a baby- me)
tanganmu membelaiku (Thy tender hand -pat/stroke like a parent would to a child- comfort me)
cintamu memuaskanku (Thy Love is sufficient -to satisfied & comfort me-)
kau mengangkatku ke tempat yg tinggi (You -with assurance- lifted me to a higher place of eminence -according to Thy Will-)
ku tahu ku tak sanggup (I understand I am unable)
hanya kau Tuhan tempat jawabanku (As the answer is through God)
ku pun tahu ku tak pernah sendiri (For I acknowledged am never alone -in this struggle- )
selama engkau Allah yg menggendongku (As always God embraces -to carry like a parent to a baby- me)
tanganmu membelaiku (Thy tender hand -pat/stroke like a parent would to a child- comfort me)
cintamu memuaskanku (Thy Love is sufficient -to satisfied & comfort me-)
kau mengangkatku ke tempat yg tinggi (You -with assurance- lifted me to a higher place of eminence -according to Thy Will-)
reff (Chorus):
janjimu seperti fajar pagi hari (Thy promise is like the new dawn -to signify a new beginning-)
dan tiada pernah terlambat bersinar (and always light -always timely/in the nick of time- in accordance)
cintamu seperti sungai yg mengalir (Thy love is like a river which flows -to signify His love is fresh and flows to give life-)
dan ku tahu betapa dalam kasihmu (and I know how deep Thy love -true love- is for me)
