Am I still fearfully and wonderfully made?

From the heart of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Teacher & Expositor. Scripture says, “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14). April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month. A friend, with only one fully developed arm due to a genetic defect from birth, asked, “Can I say, I am fearfully and wonderfully made?” She said that she knows that God is perfect but doesn’t understand why He made her imperfectly, according to her understanding of this verse in Psalm 139:14. She went on to say that it has caused her a life of heartache and trouble with people being especially cruel. Birth defects are medical conditions, but their influence extends to the emotional and social well-being of those affected. My friend was trying to grasp the reason for why she was born this way. For her, the understanding of this verse had become quite a challenge. My answer to her question was, “Yes, you can say you’re fearfully and wonderfully made!” I shared with her, Psalm 139:14 has nothing to do with being made flawless. None of us are! While the verse acknowledges that God's works, including the human body, are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” it does not equate this with perfection. This word “wonderful” is used in the Old Testament to describe things that are beyond human understanding! The complexity of the human body, from trillions of cells and millions of proteins to the interactions within the brain, means there are vast areas where our understanding is incomplete, and hence, fearfully and wonderfully made! Instead, the psalmist is expressing awe and wonder at God’s creation and the unique design of each person! The psalm highlights God's intimate knowledge and care for each person, emphasizing their inherent value and purpose, rather than suggesting a state of flawlessness. Because of our inherent value and purpose, each individual is fearfully and wonderfully made by God to display His glory. Be encouraged!