Some years ago while serving in the U. S. Navy aboard one of its smaller ships, I found myself at sea somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.  One beautiful, sunny day I went up on deck into the bow of the ship.  I was all alone.  Not another soul was in sight.  The day was stunningly beautiful.

As I looked about I saw the most uncluttered sight I’ve ever seen.  As far as I could determine there were only five things in the whole universe.  There was the immense, blue sky.  From horizon to horizon there was not a cloud, bird or wisp of smoke in it.  The second object was the sun—a heavenly body infinitely larger than the earth on which I stood.  Then there was the blue ocean.  Looking in every direction I could detect no other ship, no fish, nor even a piece of driftwood.  The fourth object was the 175-ton ship on which I stood.

And then there was me.

Never in my life have I felt so small.  It was one of the shocking moments of my life.  Any pride I’d ever had suddenly vanished completely.  I was an ant adrift on a little cork in the middle of immensities of incomprehensible proportions.

The Lord caught me in a teachable moment.  Into my mind He popped a scripture, a verse from Psalms 8:4-6.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest

him?

“For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with

glory and honor.

“Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands:  thou hast put all

things under his feet.”

The Lord knew who I was!  Not only that but he reaffirmed to me personally that His creations were expressly made for me and the rest of mankind.  His purpose in creating the heavens and earth and everything on it was to make a place whereon His children could dwell, have experiences, and work out their salvation that ultimately they could return to Him, having prepared themselves for the blessings it is His desire to give them.