Wonderfully Created

November 28, 2010

Lesson: Psalm 139:1–6, 7–14, 23–24

Key Verse: Psalm 139:14

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Introduction

Have you thought about your life in relationship to your Creator? Raise up your soul to heaven and see what God has done, that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Set your eyes upon your own anatomy and you will see that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” You do not have to sit through a class on anatomy to know how complex your body is. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “We cannot begin too soon to bless our Maker, who began so soon to bless us; even in the act of creation he created reasons for our praising his name, ‘For I am fearfully and wonderfully made.’ Who can gaze even upon a model of our anatomy with wonder and awe?” David Dickson wrote, “The right sight of God’s workmanship in our very bodies, will force us to praise God’s unspeakable wisdom: ‘I will praise thee; for I am wonderfully made.’

By the counsel and wisdom of the Triune God we were created, created in the image of God. The Lord God “created man male and female; formed the body of man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of man, endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it” (Westminster Larger Catechism, A. 17). The body and the soul were united to express the glory of God. The body will be redeemed as is the soul: “That not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken up to Christ its Head; but also, that this my body, being raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul, and made like unto the glorious body of Christ” (Heidelberg Catechism A. 57). The Scripture reveals the invaluableness of the body: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:42–44). As we look forward to the resurrection of the body, we must, therefore, care for and treat our bodies as precious and able to glorify our Creator.

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Thou Hast Searched Me—Psalm 139:1–6

God’s knowledge is perfect. God knows what we need before we ask; and he is working all things together as we pray. He knows exactly our thoughts, motivations, and desires. The Psalmist acknowledges that the Lord has already searched him, and knows him. God already knows, is fully acquainted with who we are. There is nothing about us, past, present, and future, that God does not know. Our Lord has perfect insight into and understanding of us, knowing every action we take. No word that passes our lips is a surprise to God. Before the foundation of the world we were so known by our Creator. We look back and see his hand upon us; today we look and we see his hand upon us; we look ahead and his hand is upon us. “We believe that the same God, after He had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that He rules and governs them according to His holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without His appointment” (Belgic Confession, Article 13).

The Lord knows us and providentially cares for us. “Thou knowest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.” This is further understood in the words of our Savior, “I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14–15). Our paths are made right by the Good Shepherd, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.”

For “God’s works of providence are, His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions” (S.C. 11). We cannot attain such knowledge; it “is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” Paul writes to the saints at Rome, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?” (Rom. 11:32–33). Let us put our confidence, our faith where it truly belongs, even in the secret counsels of the Almighty God. Therefore, we testify with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, But Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

Discussion: Why is it important that we testify to God’s knowledge?

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Thou Art With Me—Psalm 139:7–14

Not only does God know our every thought and deed, He is omnipresent. There is no where we can go to flee from the presence of the Lord. If I go to heaven, God is there. If I go to the place of the dead, he is there. If I had wings to fly, or was able to swim like a fish, God is where I am. Even in the depth of the sea, God will hold my hand. His right hand of authority and salvation will be my strength. Even the darkness cannot hide the presence of God. Darkness and light are the same to the Lord. He is the Creator of darkness and light. Even the darkness of wickedness is under the authority and control of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ Jesus.

The night may hinder our sight, but not God’s. Men may do their evil deeds in the dark, thinking that no one will catch them. However, the Lord is always present, knowing our deeds of evil or good. For the Christian, there is no darkness—physical or spiritual, in this world—that will obstruct the presence of the Lord Jesus. Christ is a friend that is closer than a brother. There is no place we can go that our Savior is not with us, holding us close with his hands. The grave cannot hold us because the Lord has prepared for us a place in the very presence of our heavenly Father. Jesus said, “I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).

The Scripture reveals the preciousness of the life in the womb. The Psalmist testifies, by the Spirit, “For thou hast possessed my reins; thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.” The Lord possesses our very souls, the seat of our love and devotions. The Lord protects us, is our defense even in the wombs of our mothers. Those who abort life as if there is no life are obnoxious and repugnant to God, who is the Creator of life. Matthew Henry wrote, “Under the divine inspection; my substance, when hid in the womb, nay, when it was yet but in fieri–in the forming, an unshapen embryo, was not hidden from thee; thy eyes did see my substance. By the divine operation; as the eye of God saw us then, so his hand wrought us; we were his work. According to the divine model; in thy book all my members were written. Eternal wisdom formed the plan, and by that almighty power raised the noble structure.”

Discussion: How precious is that life in the womb to the Lord our Creator and Redeemer?

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Thou Wilt Try Me—Psalm 139:23–24

There is something quite awesome in these words: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Two things are declared in the desire of the Psalmist to be examined thoroughly; first is that God knows what is in our hearts, and, second, that we have faith that God will act graciously and just in his examination of our deepest thoughts. Matthew Henry writes, “That God knows all things, is omniscient, that he is everywhere, is omnipresent; truths are acknowledged by all, yet they are seldom rightly believed in by mankind. God takes strict notice of every step we take, every right step and every by-step.” We come to the Word of God to hear what the Lord has to say about himself and us that we may grow in his righteousness and truth. Let the Lord be our examiner that he may test and try us that we may truly die to our sin and live to Christ. The Word of God is made a quickening word to our hearts and souls. The Word is “powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Spirit will “see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” For the Lord chastens us, disciplines us in the way of righteousness, “for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness (character of God). Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; never the less, afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:10–11).

Discussion: What are we asking for when we pray that God would “try” us?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2010 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.