The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of October 12
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14)
It’s easy, in a culture that stresses achievement, success and “getting ahead” above all else, to compare ourselves to others. We worry that we aren’t good enough or that we haven’t accomplished enough. We look at the achievements of our colleagues or our friends, and we are afraid that we don’t measure up.
Thankfully, the words of Psalm 139 remind us that none of us is less than another because each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God Himself. It’s important to note that the Bible’s use of the word “fear” often differs from our contemporary definition. Rather than conjuring images of terror, “fearfully made” in this instance connotes awe and reverence. We are awesome not because of anything we do or accomplish, but simply God created each one of us in His image.
David, the speaker in this psalm, emphasizes the awesome and astonishing uniqueness of each human being on Earth. He reminds us that we were not dropped randomly into our places on Earth or given a random selection of skills gifts, but rather, that we were each made especially for a unique purpose and plan.
We needn’t compare ourselves to others, because God created each one of us uniquely and gifted each one of us with a special set of talents to be used to further His kingdom on Earth.
Gracious God, I admit, sometimes I fall prey to the comparison game. I look at what others are doing and achieving, and I feel like I fall short in comparison. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself because I don’t feel particularly special or unique. Forgive me, Lord. I know this is hurtful to You, because You did indeed imbue me with gifts that are unique to me. I do not want to take these gifts for granted. Instead, today I thank You and praise You for making me exactly who I am. Amen.