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A Skillful Craftsman
Psalm 139 is a beautiful piece of poetry in which David lauds the complete knowledge God has of our lives. God knows every thought or word we have before we do. God is already present in every location before we get there. There is no place we are hidden from him. While many people would consider this intimidating or a “breech of privacy,” the psalmist intends for this to inspire awe and comfort, not fear and dismay.
One particularly powerful section is verses 13-16, in which David meditates on the mystery of God forming each individual life in the womb with great care, precision, and love.
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
It’s fascinating to think on David’s perspective of us being hidden from all sight in the womb, and yet God sees the whole process. Today, we can take snapshots of every stage of fetal development. Scientifically, we know how a baby is formed, and yet, there is still that incredible and unique insight God alone possesses. The Lord so carefully pieces together every life because every life is precious to him.
Furthermore, the idea of God “skillfully” building us in the secret places is an image that has even more far-reaching applications today than it may have had when originally written, because our Creator’s skill exceeds far beyond any craftsman humanity can produce. Consider: God’s skillful assembly outshines...
The detail of the master sculptor
The creativity of the master painter
The design of the greatest architects and engineers
The meticulous wiring of the robotics genius
The coding of the cleverest AI program
The skill of the most capable mechanic.
No matter how advanced we become or how refined our creative processes, the Lord who made you and me will always be the greatest fabricator. He will always envision details, nuances, and purposes that we cannot fathom. Today, be like David and soak up the beauty of the work of art that is the human being. Relish the fact that God took special time to weave together every part of your being in the secrecy of the womb. Take time to praise the ultimate Skillful Craftsman.
