I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor ord’n’ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky.

These lines are attributed to John Jacob Niles, who wrote them back in the 1930s. They ring true today. If you have heard this sung, the melody will reinforce your memory of the words. It has been said that music is the language of the emotions.

Christians may have similar feelings when they recall Ps.103 (just click on this reference to read the psalm. Today, the popular song “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin ring out the truth of the opening lines of that psalm.

At this time of year many people are thinking about what is called “the nativity”, by which is meant the amazing reality that God the Son became man, born as a baby to poverty-stricken Mary, and brought up by humble carpenter Joseph. As Niles verse accurately states, God did this so that mankind could benefit from Jesus’ death. Not just for some of mankind, but for all; “like you and like I”.

The James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled at present to be launched by December 25th. If all goes well, it will be able to observe the result of the formation of the earliest stars. In Genesis 1 the Bible record relegates the formation of the stars to a minor place, in the words: “He made the stars also”. The Psalmist wrote in his song:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Ps.8)

To our minds, the miraculous formation of the universe leaves us feeling rather insignificant, mere mortals on this tiny planet. But as we wander around it and observe the grandeur of God’s creation, should we not pause to wonder about why God sent His Son to be our Saviour, in fulfilment of plans made before the physical universe came into being (1 Pet.1:18-21; Eph.1:4; Heb.2:14)?