Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
by Pastor Dan
I do not know about you, but often, I have experiences in the natural that teach me about the spiritual. Jesus often used natural things that people would see around them and then tell them about a spiritual principle. I recently built a garage in my backyard. Now, I am more of an old school builder along the lines of my Mennonite heritage. As a young boy growing up on the farm, I had the privilege of learning to construct things from craftsmen who knew construction not from the demands of a building code or building code inspector but from passing down ways of building things to last and that serve a purpose for sustaining life. Math in school was hard for me until I begin to learn from these craftsmen.
I drew plans for this garage, had it approved by the County and started to build. Upon final inspection, it was said that I needed an architect’s stamped approval for the trusses that I hand built using techniques I learned as a young man. So I went to an architect and paid them to simply say that the design of the truss passed the criteria needed for the truss to do what it was designed to do.
What, then, is the spiritual experience learned from this, you might ask? Who gave me my stamp of approval? I am talking about my life. The writer of the Psalms says it very well “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Psalms 139:13-14
Advanced science has been very helpful to us and our health in many ways, but as in many things, if there is not a foundation of understanding that is carried with that advancement, then the advancement itself carries a flaw. God put His stamp of approval on me in this life as I was conceived. There have been times in my life I wondered and even questioned whether God knew what He was doing when He made me. My faults and mistakes often had a louder voice in describing who I was than God did. That louder voice at one point in my life allowed me to believe in a lie. That lie was that I was no good to anyone and I could not do anything right.
I remember repeating these Bible verses trying to convince myself they were true and were for me. The words “Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” suddenly came out of the page and slapped me on the back of my head. When God put His stamp of approval on me, He writes on my heart that I am “Fearfully and wonderfully made” His construction of me is a “wonderful work.” He desires for me to know throughout my soul (My mind, will and emotions) that I have been constructed by Him and for His purpose to sustain life. I am thankful I do not get to be what I want to be; I enjoy being who God constructed me to be. Those two people are very different people. The first person would be made from what makes me happy and satisfies me and my selfish desires, believing that advancement in science and beliefs in the world are the right things. The second person understands that even science when void of the foundation of a creator God sets me on a path of failure and disappointment. I did not get to choose the way I was made, but the fact I did not get to choose that does not change who I am.
As I get to know more about my architect and builder God, I discover who I am and my purpose for being made that way. As I give up my right to try and make me who I want to be and let God reveal to me who I really am, I am healthier for it, and those around me are better off as well. I encourage you to find a true relationship with Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of you, and you will find the real you. I know that I was made for the purpose of letting you know this, and I am happy God made me this way.
Blessings,
-Pastor Dan
I do not know about you, but often, I have experiences in the natural that teach me about the spiritual. Jesus often used natural things that people would see around them and then tell them about a spiritual principle. I recently built a garage in my backyard. Now, I am more of an old school builder along the lines of my Mennonite heritage. As a young boy growing up on the farm, I had the privilege of learning to construct things from craftsmen who knew construction not from the demands of a building code or building code inspector but from passing down ways of building things to last and that serve a purpose for sustaining life. Math in school was hard for me until I begin to learn from these craftsmen.
I drew plans for this garage, had it approved by the County and started to build. Upon final inspection, it was said that I needed an architect’s stamped approval for the trusses that I hand built using techniques I learned as a young man. So I went to an architect and paid them to simply say that the design of the truss passed the criteria needed for the truss to do what it was designed to do.
What, then, is the spiritual experience learned from this, you might ask? Who gave me my stamp of approval? I am talking about my life. The writer of the Psalms says it very well “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Psalms 139:13-14
Advanced science has been very helpful to us and our health in many ways, but as in many things, if there is not a foundation of understanding that is carried with that advancement, then the advancement itself carries a flaw. God put His stamp of approval on me in this life as I was conceived. There have been times in my life I wondered and even questioned whether God knew what He was doing when He made me. My faults and mistakes often had a louder voice in describing who I was than God did. That louder voice at one point in my life allowed me to believe in a lie. That lie was that I was no good to anyone and I could not do anything right.
I remember repeating these Bible verses trying to convince myself they were true and were for me. The words “Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” suddenly came out of the page and slapped me on the back of my head. When God put His stamp of approval on me, He writes on my heart that I am “Fearfully and wonderfully made” His construction of me is a “wonderful work.” He desires for me to know throughout my soul (My mind, will and emotions) that I have been constructed by Him and for His purpose to sustain life. I am thankful I do not get to be what I want to be; I enjoy being who God constructed me to be. Those two people are very different people. The first person would be made from what makes me happy and satisfies me and my selfish desires, believing that advancement in science and beliefs in the world are the right things. The second person understands that even science when void of the foundation of a creator God sets me on a path of failure and disappointment. I did not get to choose the way I was made, but the fact I did not get to choose that does not change who I am.
As I get to know more about my architect and builder God, I discover who I am and my purpose for being made that way. As I give up my right to try and make me who I want to be and let God reveal to me who I really am, I am healthier for it, and those around me are better off as well. I encourage you to find a true relationship with Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of you, and you will find the real you. I know that I was made for the purpose of letting you know this, and I am happy God made me this way.
Blessings,
-Pastor Dan
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