“My substance was not hidden from You when I was made in secret. . .Your Eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect—and in Your Book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them.”
Psalm 139:15a, 16
Long before there were sonograms and prenatal care, the Great Physician—Who created us—knew everything about us and said “It’s very good” (Gen. 1:31).
“When does life begin?”
That’s the question that’s been debated for decades as folks grapple with the issue of abortion. One side champions “women’s rights,” while the other stresses the “sanctity of life.” Some use cold, sterile, scientific terms for the “creature” developing in a mother’s womb—calling it an embryo, zygote, fetus, etc.—while others still call him/her “a baby.”
But, all of this debating would cease if we’d simply take God at His Word and read today’s Manna with an open heart and mind. Life begins when the Giver of Life gives it. And, He predetermined that human life would begin when a man’s sperm fertilizes a woman’s egg, resulting in conception. From that point on until the baby is fully formed and delivered, today’s Manna stands true—and God’s thoughts toward that developing child are “precious” (Ps. 139:17-18).
The Hebrew word “otsem” is used here for “substance” and basically means “body,” which covers all the systems, organs, limbs, etc. Thus, it means “every part of an individual,” which is what was meant when it says “And God breathed into man the breath of life and He became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7).
Even though David’s world knew nothing about the technical ins-and-outs of reproduction, they knew that something was going on when a woman became pregnant and the child began moving about in his/her mother’s womb. Even though they had no way to peer within the womb as we can today, David knew that developing child “was not hidden from God’s view and his/her substance, not yet fully formed, were written down in God’s Book.”
Isn’t that a beautiful thought, Pilgrim? Glory!!
Think about it:
Just as a parts store keeps an inventory of its stock, knowing where each piece is and how many are on-hand, so does the Heavenly Father create each one of us unique. One-of-a-kind. No one else like us. Our fingerprints and DNA attest to this.
Therefore, we should never feel like we’re an “accident” or worthless—not when the God of the universe designed us and loves us personally and intimately. Though sin may take its toll on the body even before birth and wreck havoc in our lives during our sojourn here, the Father still specializes in “Wrecks Rebuilt” and has promised to “work everything together for our good and His Glory if we love Him and are fulfilling His Purpose in our lives” (II Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:28). Why not pause right now and thank the Lord for His knowing everything about you and still loving you just the same? And, why not share that today with someone else? It could make an eternal difference in their lives.
January 7, 2012
