In the first chapter of the first book in the Bible, Genesis, a remarkable statement is made. It is found in Genesis 1:27. The context is the six days of God’s creation of the world and all that is in it. The verse says this: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” That’s pretty straight forward. All human beings, both male and female, have been created in the image of God. That is the basis of the Judeo-Christian teaching called, “The Sanctity of Human Life.” We bear the image of the God of all creation. And because of that, every human being has value. Every life matters and has purpose and meaning.
As we consider another portion of Psalm 139, the psalm we have been looking at for two weeks, we are given a glimpse into God’s skill and craftmanship in creating us, you and me, in our mother’s womb. Listen to the beautiful and poetic description that David, the writer of this psalm, gives us.
“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. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them, (Psalm 139:13-16, ESV).
We are not the result of millions of years of evolution, as some would have us believe. God created us! In fact, it tells us that he “knit us together.” We are his handiwork. His fingerprints are all over us, in every cell of our bodies. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made!” Form the intricacies of the tiniest DNA strand to the organs and complex systems of our bodies, the truth cries out to us that we are no accident. God made us.
Tony Evans, in his Study Bible, puts it this way, “You, too, are a work of art that God put together by hand. You have been wondrously made. So no matter the circumstances surrounding your conception, your existence is intentional. You are not a mistake, for God makes no mistakes. You are created in the image of God with purpose and meaning. This truth is to be the foundation for a person’s self-worth and self-esteem.” Life has meaning and God has a purpose for your life. There’s something he wants to do in and through you.
As David penned the words of this psalm he realized that God knew him. He was “not hidden” from God. God had formed and “knit him together.” Here’s one more observation on this passage from Dr. Evans: “This truth is why abortion is so horribly wrong. Divinely-given human life exists from the moment of conception. God didn’t merely see an embryo or fetus in the womb. He saw David (‘Your eyes saw me,’ v.16).”
God knows you, too! All your days were “written in his book” before you were born. Your life has meaning because God created you and loves you. Your being here is not an accident. He has a plan for you. Why not take some time this week to get to know your Creator? Because he loves you, he gave his one and only Son to die for your sins. And his promise is that if you believe in Him, you will have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Jim Newman is pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Exeter. He may be reached by calling 559-592-2367 or by emailing [email protected]. Prays Together is a rotating faith-based commentary and advice column among the pastors, and guest laypeople, of area churches.
This column is not a news article but the opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of The Sun-Gazette newspaper.
