“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14 ESV)

Initially, “fearfully and wonderfully made” is not the way I would describe myself. “Made for fun and faith writing” are labels I would choose. And yet, the words of this verse worked their way into my heart over time.

The beauty and power of Psalm 139 isn’t just derived from human perspective. It’s how the Creator sees you and me. The psalmist knew this very well.

He also knew describing us as “fearful” doesn’t mean we are scary to look upon. In Hebrew, it is the word yārē’, meaning “astonishment and awe.” As I consider the intricate nature of our anatomy and the variations in our appearance, it puts me in awe of our Creator. I’m amazed by the work of His hands.

But we are more than flesh and blood.

Our soul is meant to be saturated with knowing our intrinsic value. It goes beyond our appearance or our accomplishments. It doesn’t fade in the face of our failures.

There is much that puts me in awe of God. But it’s hard to imagine He put some of His awe in you and me. We see it in a person’s genius or generosity.

Since God made us in His image and the object of His love, we each have the potential to mirror His glory. (see Genesis 1:27 and Revelation 4:11)

But how we see ourselves makes a difference.

If I see myself in light of God’s grace and truth, I conform to the beauty of His will. And yet, if I see myself through a lesser lens, I may miss His grace and truth in the ways I need it the most.

But how we view or treat each other also makes a difference. We can mirror God’s intentions and be respectful or we can look in a different mirror and become reckless.

I’ve done both. And I’ve had both done to me. But in a world where so much goes wrong, God does everything right.

“Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love.” – Psalm 145:17 MSG

One of the most recognizable logos in the world is the Nike swoosh. But the Message version of the Bible tells us God had a trademark first. His trademark is best. From Adam and Eve to the newest embryo, we each bear the mark of God’s love. We don’t have to look far to find it.

We see it in Christ on the Cross. His death for our sins is the epitome of God’s love and the statement of our worth. He knew it was the right thing to do. And three days later He rose from the dead. It was what we needed Him to do. (see John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-6)

Now we can rise too.

Otherwise, we remain lost and broken. But we don’t have to see ourselves based on a lie, guilt or a pain that won’t let us go. Through faith in Christ, I see I am loved, forgiven and free.

I am a work in progress, privileged to serve my Savior. As I look through the lens of His grace, my God confidence rises. Then my soul knows very well, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And so are you.

Want more on this topic? My post “Because Love Wants Us All” is featured on the Empowered Women Faith Club’s Blog this month. Read more here.

The winner of the ebook, Songs of Hope, Volume 2, is Margo Newton! Congratulations!