You Are Wonderfully Made (Psalm 139:14)
We’re in the process of selling our house, purging every pile, bagging and boxing belongings we haven’t touched in ages (if ever), trying to see with new eyes things that have become common to us in order to highlight and present well our home’s finest features.
Needless to say, we’re physically exhausted, mentally drained and emotionally overwhelmed with multiple changes, all at once. As I flopped into the office chair, in what used to be my youngest daughter’s bedroom, my eyes settled on the wall art above her closet, “You are wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) Those words – so familiar, so simple – spoke peace over my heart. Initially read with emphasis on the first word, in my pondering, each of the following words stood out:
- “You are wonderfully made”, not just babies in the womb, not just a neighbor who’s got it all, or a coworker who’s got it all together, not just perfect performers, fit friends, or clever kin. You! The apple of His eye.
- “You are wonderfully made”, not were before that massive trip up or tragedy, not will be once this or that happens, not one day, some day or never but now, currently. Are! His inheritance.
- “You are wonderfully made”, not badly or poorly, not wrong in any way, shape or form, but marvelously, excellently, and uniquely individual. Wonderfully! His child.
- “You are wonderfully made”, not accidentally or haphazardly, not exploded in space or evolved from apes but intentionally and intricately crafted by God. Made! His masterpiece.
This move of ours has been a long time coming, for many reasons, none of which seemed to be about me. I looked at it as “for my husband”, or “for my children”, not considering what God would have for me in a new place. But those four words are so personal. In fact, within my own family, each member will be separating this summer to head down a new path. But God is already there: at the new job, new home, new church, new school, on the trepid travels, in our collective challenges and unfathomable unknowns. God uses challenges to expose hearts, stretch faith, lift, and light the way. Through the process, He reveals who we are – helpless and hopeless without Him – but more importantly, He reminds us of whose we are… His! And that makes all the difference.
With my first grandchild turning one, it’s got me reminiscing about this time last year. Much like fearfully and wonderfully made babies in the womb, we get hiccups while we grow. Hiccups are said to help exercise breathing muscles and are defined as “a short, involuntary spasm, followed by a sharp sound” – you might say, an interruption of sorts (when plans don’t go as imagined), followed by cries of “why”, “how” and “what now?” Our Father feels each one. In fact, because verses 16-17 show we are in His eyes, His book, and His thoughts, these are holy hiccups. They come sporadically and are uncomfortable while they last but, thankfully, they are short term. So, even though I’m starting over somewhere else, the current house is selling with no new home on the horizon, no known purpose and no pack of friends waiting, God reminds me, “Your place is in the palm of My hand.”
They say drinking water helps with hiccups and I must agree – the Living Water of scripture revives, refreshes, and simply makes breathing a whole lot easier (thank you, Jesus!). Choose with me to be held by holy hands during these hiccups and drink deep because you… are… wonderfully… made, in His image. Those words may seem common but that’s our finest feature – God! He lives in us, and we live in Him, so no matter where we are, He’s our home.
SHINE, always
Cheryl