We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Psalm 139:13-16
I want to share some thoughts on abortion as the March for Life takes place in London tomorrow and I know it’s a topic that Vizion church feels strongly about and I know a couple of ladies are going down to take part in the march. Let’s begin by reading…
Psalm 139:13-16
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
There are generally two views of abortion, either Pro-choice and Pro-life, but I see another and that is Pro-exist.
Many adults would say there’s a moral presumption to have the choice of giving a baby life or to abort, depending on your situation.
Here in Scotland, it seems to be very easy to terminate a baby’s life, where a life of a baby can be killed up to 24 weeks gestation or 6 months
Let’s look at Proverbs 6:16-19 ~ There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. God hates the shedding of innocent blood; the Bible forbids it another 19 times
The medical scientists calls the unborn baby a “fetus” but the Bible calls the unborn baby a “child” as we see in [Gen 25:22 KJV] 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. Next verse down tells us of two distinct individual babies in the womb being Esau and Jacob.
A Child that dies before it is born is called an “Infant” [Job 3:16 KJV] 16 Or as an hidden untimely (stillborn) birth I had not been; as infants [which] never saw light. If the doctor or nurse kills the medical term “fetus” they are killing an infant child.
In Jeremiah 1:5 Jeremiah was called to be a prophet in the womb.
John the Babtist was filled with the Holy Spirit when Elisabeth heard the salutation (greeting) of Mary in Luke 1:15, 44-44
Psalm 139:14… says
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
Let’s consider just a few of the miraculous things that are happening as the baby develops in its mothers womb
- By the 21st day the babies heart begins to beat
- By day 45, brainwaves are detected.
- By 8 – 9 weeks the baby’s eye lids are forming, and hair starts to grow.
- By 9-10 weeks the baby, starts to suck its thumb, jumps in the womb, frowns and swallows and can move its tongue.
- By 12 to 13 weeks the baby has fingernails and its own unique fingerprints. The baby’s arteries are present, and with a cough its vocal cords are complete.
- By 15 weeks the baby has full taste buds.
- At 16 weeks the baby has eyebrows and flickering eyelashes. The baby can grasp its hands, kick and even summersault.
- And by 20 weeks the baby can hear and recognise their mother’s voice.
I could go on but having a baby is a precious supernatural time as [Psalm 127:3 KJV] says 3 Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward. The Baby in the womb doesn’t belong to the mother, the baby belongs to God.
Lets take a look at verses 13 to 16 where we read of an all-powerful, Omnipotent God in creation as we were formed in our mother’s womb.
Where we will look at Gods Power displayed in the womb.
- God forms the child’s, Organs: “my reins, my inward parts” (v.13)
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
David speaks to us about how God has possessed or formed, this is where He builds our character, our uniqueness, our reins or inwards parts. This speaks about how God from the time we were conceived, knew everything about us and was starting to form us.
As sperm hits the egg to create a zygote, conception takes place, and immediately turns grey, this is where the term grey matters start. The cell divides into two, then 4, 8, 16, and so on making a structure called a morula, Latin for mulberry because it looks berry-like.
David in his praise says thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb - covered me here, means to weave, braid. Where God has weaved or braided us together.
God had a plan for Davids life as he was growing in his mother’s womb, so does God have a plan for us.
- God forms the child’s, body: "fearfully and wonderfully made" (v.14)
Vs 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
We are all made marvellous meaning we are made differently, just like a snow flake, as each flake looks the same but under a microscope each flake has a different shape. By 12th to 13th week the baby has fingernails and its own unique fingerprints, just like a snowflake a baby and every person in the world is unique and is fearfully [and] wonderfully made. Even in identical twins there is a difference in fingerprints so while they might look the same they are two separate personalities and they are still unique individuals. God doesn’t make clones.
- God forms the child’s, Bones: “my substance” (v.15)
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
As David carries on in this Psalm, he writes saying My substance my bones or skeleton as Ecclesiastes 11:5 says Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know what [is] the way of the wind, [Or] how the bones [grow] in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
[and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. The root of curiously wrought is something that is intricately embroidered.
- Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed God sees the child in the womb from the very beginning. The moment the sperm and egg collide God sees the finished product. He knows exactly who that person will be.
David goes on acknowledge that God has known him from the womb and has known all of his days, those that have passed and those yet to come. God has known it all from the start.
I want to encourage us all to take a few minutes to think about the sanctity and sacredness of life. We are privileged to know the One who formed us and to know that even before we were formed God had a plan for our lives. We are made in the image of God and each of us is known by Him intimately.
At times in his life David has suffered from bouts of apparent depression and sadness but here he remembers how valuable his life is to the God of heaven.
If you ever feel like your life has no value, or purpose or if you’re searching for meaning read through this Psalm, meditate on it and consider for a moment just how precious you are to the God who formed you from the beginning.
Tomorrow let us pray for the March for Life taking place in London but also let’s spend some time tomorrow praying for women who are at this moment in time considering abortion.
Let’s pray that they will be moved to choose life for their babies. Let us also pray for women who have had abortions and who live with regret and trauma from their experience.
Let us lift them before the Lord and pray for their redemption and healing. Only God can heal and restore but for those who turn to Him there is mercy, forgiveness and restoration.
