Do you have a nickname? I go by Betsy, but that is not my real name. Born Elizabeth Ann, my mother nicknamed me Betsy for several reasons. First, it is a common derivative of Elizabeth, along with Liz, Beth, Eliza, etc. It was also the name of Betsy Palmer, an actress she admired. But the selling point was that my sister, who is four years older, had developed an imaginary friend whom she called Betsy. Parental wisdom suggested that naming me for her friend would ease the transition of a new baby in the house. Unfortunately, it did not.

The name and names of God is a fascinating subject. By understanding the origin of these names, we tap into the different aspects of God’s character. God is our Elohim, our Strength and Power. God is YWYH, the great “I AM.” He is Yeshua and Emmanuel, God with us in the form of Jesus. He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Who Provides.

Who is God to you?

In today’s psalm, David wrote that God’s name is “majestic.” Think about that for a moment. Merriam-Webster defines majestic as “an impressive largeness proportionate to scale, without sacrifice of dignity or good taste.” It’s the reference to largeness and scale that piques my attention. David described God’s glory as being higher than the heavens and reminded us that the moon and stars were set in place by God. With the vastness of these images firmly planted in our minds, David then writes “what are human beings that you pay attention to them?” (verse 4). What, indeed?

That God would create the universes and still be mindful of us is nothing short of miraculous.

Psalm 8 (Common English Bible)
Lord, our Lord, how majestic
    is your name throughout the earth!
    You made your glory higher than heaven!
² From the mouths of nursing babies
    you have laid a strong foundation
    because of your foes,
    in order to stop vengeful enemies.
³ When I look up at your skies,
    at what your fingers made—
    the moon and the stars
    that you set firmly in place—
⁴         what are human beings
            that you think about them;
        what are human beings
            that you pay attention to them?

God’s care and consideration of human beings comes with the responsibility of caring for all of his handiwork. Indeed, the beasts of the field as well as the field itself are under our supervision. As we look at our policies and practices concerning the meat processing industry, the effects of pollution on our waters, and the increasing threat of climate change due to carbon emission, how well are we doing with the stewardship of God’s gift?
⁵ You’ve made them only slightly less than divine,
    crowning them with glory and grandeur.
⁶ You’ve let them rule over your handiwork,
    putting everything under their feet—
⁷         all sheep and all cattle,
        the wild animals too,
⁸         the birds in the sky,
        the fish of the ocean,
        everything that travels the pathways of the sea.

Our challenge today is to make one small change that could have a majestic effect on God’s creation. Can you choose paper over plastic bags, or better yet, carry canvas bags for your groceries? Can you refuse a plastic straw? Can you commit to eating a vegetarian meal once a week? Can you bike to work tomorrow instead of drive? How about getting into a carpool so that fewer cars are on the road?

God trusts us with the majesty of creation. May we be worthy of that trust.
⁹ Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!

Majesty in Flight by Michelle Robertson