“The Pale Blue Dot” is the title of a famous photograph taken of planet earth in 1990 by the Voyager I spacecraft from a distance of more than 3. 7 billion miles away. Earth appears to be nothing more than “a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam,” wrote Carl Sagan in response to the picture. [1]
“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,” responds David, employing only his naked eyes tilted upward, “What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou does care for him? ” [2]
Jesus answers, “For God so loved the world [all those on that pale blue dot] that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Both Sagan and King David are breath-taken at the contemplation of the heavens and earth. However, their worldviews produced contrasting responses. Only a materialist, such as Sagan, would perceive that size relates to value or significance.[3] “God is spirit” (John 4:24). Spirit has no material substance. While God made all things, the value of things is not in their material substance but in the importance the Creator gives them. “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things have been created by Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).
More breath-taking than the grand scale of the universe is that “love of God” which has been “poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5b). We keep going back to that verse. I was stunned when I realized that the love spoken of here is not only the love God gives me to give others, but it is the very love of God for me.
Accepting His love takes some time. I encourage you to take a deep breath and pause today. You were created by Jesus and for Jesus. If you have accepted that He died to pay for your sins and have invited Him into your life, you belong to Him. Being infinitesimal in the universe (and in your life situation) is irrelevant to your value. Thus, “We love Him because He first loved us.”[4] Hallelujah!
[1] Google “Carl Sagan and the pale blue dot,” or check out his 1994 book, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space.
[2] Psalm 8:3-4.
[3] Sagan valued humanity and the pale blue dot, but from a man-constructed and man-centered, nonspiritual perspective. Value was not created by God but by man. He was an agnostic, not an atheist, of Jewish descent. His concern for mankind was humanistic. He did not accept the knowledge and love of the Lord.
[4] I John 4:19.
Karen Thomas Olsen
Journey North Character 
This is a beautiful line!
“Being infinitesimal in the universe (and in your life situation) is irrelevant to your value.”
Amanda Laine,
I appreciate your response. This concept in the line you quoted brings me great comfort and perspective. A number of biblical concepts started piling up in my mind such as these: God is spirit, meaning without material substance; His worth has nothing to do with the material world; what we see is material and temporary; the eternal is not visible. The eternal is more important than the temporary. Therefore, size, shape, location, health, and age (space and time) do not produce or shape value or significance. However, everything material is important because God created it, giving it purpose, and made us managers of His “pale blue dot.” The passage in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is a rich slice of mental food someone may want to chew on. I better stop. These ideas carry me away. Well, we are told to think good thoughts (Phil 4: 8)! 🙂
Blessings,
Karen
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