Wonderfully made
Psalm 139:13-14
I’m going to try to explain psalm 139:13-14 especially as it applies to current day christians and terminations.
Psalm 139:13-14 affirms that God is the intimate Creator of human life. For modern Christians, these verses serve as the foundational biblical text for the sanctity of life, establishing that personhood, value, and divine purpose begin at conception.
Breaking Down the Text
"You knit me together in my mother’s womb:" The Hebrew word for "knit" suggests a delicate, deliberate, and intricate weaving process. It paints a picture of God as a master artisan who is personally and intimately involved in the development of every human being.
"Fearfully and wonderfully made:" "Fearfully" implies a sense of awe, reverence, and respect for the majesty of God’s creative power. "Wonderfully" means set apart or distinct. Every human bears the image of God (Imago Dei) and possesses inherent dignity, regardless of the circumstances of their conception.
Application to the Abortion Debate
For Christians, these verses provide several definitive principles regarding the abortion debate:
Life Begins at Conception: The text collapses the distinction between a "fetus" and a "person." God's active involvement (forming, knitting, seeing) takes place entirely during the antenatal stage. Therefore, destroying an unborn child is seen as ending a human life created by God.
God’s Sovereignty Over Life: We believe that God has absolute ownership over human life. Because the days of a person's life are known and authored by God before they are born (v. 16), elective termination is viewed as an infringement on God’s exclusive authority.
Value Beyond Circumstances: Even in the face of difficult circumstances—such as potential health issues, financial hardship, or unplanned pregnancies—the Christian worldview holds that the child's value is bestowed by God, not by external conditions.
The Modern Christian Response
Today, Psalm 139 motivates modern Christians to take a multi-faceted approach to the issue of abortion:
Advocacy and Education: It calls believers to stand up for the legal and social protection of the unborn.
Compassion and Support: Recognizing that all are "wonderfully made" compels Christians to care for the vulnerable. This includes supporting crisis pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, and providing practical and emotional support to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Grace and Healing: While firmly opposing the act of abortion, the core message of the gospel focuses on redemption and forgiveness. Many churches operate ministries to help men and women find emotional, psychological, and spiritual healing after experiencing an abortion.
If you'd like to explore this topic further, tell me if you are looking to understand:
How to minister to someone who has experienced an abortion
Practical ways to get involved in the pro-life movement
Other biblical passages that discuss the sanctity of life