Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

When I was in school, science was one of my least favorite subjects. In fact, I somehow miraculously managed to get my diploma and also a college education while only taking one science class! The last time I cracked open a science textbook was in ninth grade Biology with Mr. Day (who was, incidentally, a great teacher!).

I’m not sure what exactly I disliked so much about science back then. But as I have grown older I have developed a greater appreciation for how the natural world works and especially the intricate creation of the human body. We are truly “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) beyond our comprehension – with every part working together for the full functioning of the whole body. I have seen this principle at work through many years of daily living and physical accomplishments and through the negative eyes of illnesses that have affected how our bodies perform.

But I have been watching this principle on magnificent display this past week as I see the accomplishments of the athletes in the Paris Olympics. To someone who neither excelled in nor was very interested personally in sports pursuits, it is amazing what well-trained and serious athletes can do with their bodies! I am in awe every night as I watch the wrap-up of each day’s events and witness the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

The human body is an amazing mixture of intricate design and perfectly balanced parts that work together to allow us to experience great feats of strength and coordination as well as a plethora of sensations and emotions and an unlimited amount of thought processes. We can climb mountains or make music or solve equations or write books. And we can love and find joy in relationships with others. All this while employing the “fallen” version of our bodies that includes the effects of our sin nature. Makes me curious to know what the “perfect” human body that God originally created was like . . . and more anxious than ever to experience that again in heaven someday!