Ever since I was a teen, I have been fascinated by astronomy, telescopes and the universe. It’s indescribably awesome. The ancients were only able to see the few thousand stars visible with the naked eye. With the invention of the telescope in 1608 by German-Dutch lens maker Hans Lippershey, man’s eye strayed further and discovered more stars. Only in the first part of the 20th century did man understand that the universe was more than our Milky Way Galaxy. In fact it was discovered to be multiple times as many with the discovery of more and more galaxies. In 1990 the Hubble Telescope was launched to view the universe outside our atmosphere. Through deep-field observations, more septillions of stars were discovered. In a few years the James Webb telescope will be launched. It will orbit one million miles out. What will it show us? The universe as we know it just keeps getting bigger.

Let’s make one thing very clear: You are very important to God. You are unique, born with an incredible future!

This makes us smaller, and many think it makes us less important. But just because you are small and rare does not mean that you are not valuable. Note this profound comment from Dr. Marcelo Gleiser, a theoretical physicist and cosmologist:

“Next time you hear a scientist saying something like ‘the more we know about the universe the less important we become,' beg to differ. The reality is precisely the opposite: The more we know about the universe, the more unique we become.”

In Dr. Gleiser’s perspective, he embraces a view that this uniqueness stems from millions of years of non-replicable and a “very particular set of cosmic, geochemical and evolutionary circumstances.” But ironically his secular statement squares up exactly with the status of humanity as revealed within the pages of the Holy Bible. What a relief!

As we read in the Psalms, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14, New International Version).

The Bible portrays you and me as unique and wonderful. You are made in the very image of God—your basic features—and especially your ability to think, reason and create, resemble the power-filled Deity who made the Universe! (Genesis 1:26-27).

Human beings—you and me—are unique. We are one of a kind. We represent the crowning achievement of God’s physical creation.

But there’s more—much more!

Have you ever asked yourself why you were born? When you read or see of the many incredible discoveries of the universe, do you wonder how important you might be in the midst of this? How is it that we, who alone seem to have conscious life, are the only ones to appreciate all that is?

In ancient times, David had the same thought. Notice what he wrote: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars … what is man that you are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:3-4).

In God’s sight, you are very important. You were born on this earth with a purpose: a thrilling outcome that is so wonderful that it transcends the ability of mere words to fully describe it.

As the author of Hebrews points out, one of the chief purposes of God is to “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). “Glory” means something that is far greater than our physical selves.

What incredible future lies in store for us? As the apostle Paul wrote some 2,000 years ago, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, New Living Translation).

The Bible reveals that those who yield themselves to God’s way of life become the very children of God! As we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, repent and begin to live like He did, we also become a literal younger brother or sister to Him!

Astonishing? Read it for yourself: “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:10, NIV).

So let’s make one thing very clear: You are very important to God. You are far more important than the physical forces and phenomena—no matter how awesome or powerful—than has been discovered or will be discovered. You are unique, born with an incredible future!

There is much more, more than can be covered here. If you want to know more—and who wouldn’t—I invite you to secure a free copy of our Bible study aid Why Were You Born? This power-packed study guide can be read in an evening, but its truth will last forever.

We are not alone or abandoned, just to live and become extinct. The bigger the universe becomes in our eyes, the more significant we, as the only known life in the universe become. We will all know sooner than later.

Our loving God created you with a purpose—a purpose that makes you unique and very important. I invite you to read further and grasp the incredible human potential that is already yours.

What other marvelous works of God in the universe do you find inspiring? Submit a comment below and let me know.