Ps 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”
Most of us are familiar with Psalm 139, David’s praise of God’s knowledge of him and care for him. How often I have heard that phrase found in verse 14 above, “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Perhaps more than any other time we have scientific proof of that in the study of our DNA—our genetic structure.
Lately, I’ve been thinking the genes I received from my parents aren’t all that wonderful. In my 70 years, I’ve had 14 surgeries (starting at age 4), some minor, others major, some successful, others not. I have some lasting effects from some of them. I’ve also had tinnitus (ringing in my ears) since I was 19.
My mother’s family had very thin hair which almost disappeared by the time they hit their 60’s; my father’s side had thick hair that turned gray when they were very young. Yep, you guessed it, my thin hair began turning gray when I was in my 20’s, and then started falling out in my 60’s.
Like I said, my genes from my parents gave me a body that seems more fragile than some. But, with all the weaknesses, I still praise God as David did, for there is another part of that song that is even more precious to me. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” [v16 NIV]
God knows my days, every one of them. Whether many or few, God designed each one. I need never fear that my genetic structure with all its weaknesses and frailties will rule the day. On one day in 1973 God gave me salvation. On one day in my future God will also give me an eternally new genetic structure.
Father, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made and you have ordained my days, my pathway to come home to You is set in Your wisdom and love. Amen.
