My Inmost Parts

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). I hope today’s devotional will much more inspirational than maudlin; however, it does deal with the truth that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made. Some of that wonder is to be found in the process of aging. When we moved back to Texas one of the first trips I took was to see both my brothers. One is older than I and the other younger. To me we all look old! I had not seen them for a while, though we talk often. The drive with my younger brother was about five hours, so we had ample opportunity to catch up on all the family news. Spending the weekend with our older brother gave us a chance to do the same with him. My conclusion was that we are indeed aging. Some of that is graceful and some is not so graceful. With each of us having had some sort of major illness to deal with in the last few years, each with their continued residual effects, I decided we really aren’t as strong as we once were. That brought me to our reading today. This psalm beautifully describes how we are designed and sustained by a loving Creator. It can evoke pain, though, for those who struggle with a loved one’s physical challenges. I know that while my mind knows what to do, my body simply doesn’t follow directions very well. I want to be able to walk as fast as some others; however, there are times when a “shuffle” is my top speed! Of course, I would never want to give the impression that my situation is nearly as difficult as so many others, but it has changed with the years. My encouragement comes in knowing that this is God’s plan for me. That’s the real truth that sets us free from the deterioration of age. God knows us intimately even before we are formed: “your eyes saw my unformed substance.” This doesn’t resolve the questions of why things unfold as they do, questions we or our loved ones may struggle with when facing physical or cognitive losses. But it does reveal that God is steadfast and present to us through all of it. Our bodies are the physical expression of who we are, but they do not tell the whole story. Every one of us bears God’s image, no matter what circumstances shape our bodily lives. And as anyone whose life has been impacted by a special needs child or adult can tell you, a person does not need to have full physical or cognitive abilities, or even a long life, in order to make a meaningful mark on the world.