Text: Psalm 139:13-18
Focus verses: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Verses 13-14)
How wonderful are the works of God. From the beginning of life, indeed from our conception, God has been with us. He has formed us, knitted us, and woven us together in our mother’s womb, so that each person, born or unborn, is a work of God fearfully and wonderfully made by our Heavenly Father.
This is the message of our Psalmist, who sings such marvelous words of praise. He rejoices in our God, who has shaped our being and knows us more intricately than anyone else. So we too rejoice that our God has formed and cared for us from our first days to our last days in this earthly life, and on into eternity. All those we have lost, all those with us still today, and all those who are still to come have been given life by the work of our Heavenly Father.
He is a Father who does not leave or abandon us. Rather, He is a Father who remains with us even now and continues to provide for all our needs of body and soul. He has looked upon us and brought us up in this faith that we may rejoice in the gifts of forgiveness and life everlasting. How precious are the thoughts of God; we lie down and rise up, and God remains with us. Praise be to God, for we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.
Let us pray: Mighty God, we thank and praise You that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Grant that we may, in true faith, honor this gift of life and continually grow in trust and in praise of Your mighty works. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Steven Braun, Sem IV)