Fearfully and wonderfully made

Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous.

These verses were the basis for an outstanding Christian book written by Paul Brand and Phil Yancey, entitled Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (1980).  Dr. Brand was a specialist in the treatment of leprosy, the most insidious disease known to mankind in biblical days.  The book is a fascinating piece of literature where Dr. Brand uses his knowledge of science and medicine to probe deeply into the world of our cells, bones, skin, muscles and nerves.  You finish reading the book with a new appreciation and awe of the creative intelligence and power of almighty God. 

For example, your skin----it averages a mere 9 pounds yet it is our bodily organ that gives appearance and ceaseless information.  The skin of the scalp, the lip, the nipple, the heel, the abdomen and the fingertips are different in function and texture, yet somehow exists as a continuous sheet over the body.  Think about each of us has a unique skin pattern of our ridges, e.g. the fingertips, that allows each individual who has ever lived to be uniquely identified (and today the FBI takes full advantage of this phenomenon).  Think of the huge variety of stimuli that your skin monitors each day—wind, particles, parasites, changes in pressure, temperature, humidity, light, radiation.  Skin is tough enough to withstand the rigorous pound of jogging on asphalt, yet sensitive enough to have the bare toes tickled by a light breeze.  Think about how unique the composition of the skin is in that whatever you spill or apply on it can be washed off.  Think about the fact that if your skin tissue were made harder, you would insensitively crush a goblet of fine crystal while holding it, but if softer, you could not hold the crystal with a firm grip. 

The book is full of descriptions of our bodies that repeatedly fascinate the reader with the wonder of your created body.  Where did it come from?  By chance?  Ha, reading this book, you’ll never be able to conclude that the human body and all its amazing structure and function occurred by chance.  You were made so wonderfully complex by God and His workmanship is marvelous.

Psalm 139:14 literally is translated as “fearfully and wonderfully made”, the title of Dr. Brand’s book.  The Hebrew word for “fearfully” literally means “to stand in awe of”.  The Hebrew word for “wonderfully” means “to be distinct and distinguished”.  When you study the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the human body, when you learn how complex the brain, eye, ear, heart, lung, kidney, liver, nervous system, immune system and all other organs and systems of the human body, you cannot walk away and not believe that there is an incomprehensible, supernatural, indescribably intelligent and powerful creative being responsible for all this. 

Never take the structure and function of your body for granted again.  Think how the truth of these verses elevate your thoughts and enable you more enthusiastically to praise your Creator.  Read Psalm 139 in its entirety and take on a new or renewed perception and appreciation of how King David wrote of His omnipotence and omniscience.  Thank Him for what He did in creating you and all your uniqueness.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made and God’s workmanship is marvelous.