Loving God’s Creation
By Dawn Mast
Thursday, August 17, 2017
“I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14 NKJV
It waslike high school all over again. Except that I was a grown-up. I was decades away from Geometry and Latin class and my school bus was now a mini-van (which kinda serves the same purpose most days). But the feelings were the same.
That same emotion of insecurity came at me and I wondered if I was “good enough” for the people I was hanging out with. Most of my feelings had very little to do with who I was because I’m pretty secure in my position as a child of God, wife, mother, honorable citizen and clipper of coupons.
But I wondered if I looked good. How did people see my outsides?
Then I remembered being teased.
Ouch. Deep, deep ouch!
I’ve been almost 6 feet tall since about the age of 12. When you are that tall, there’s no way little feet are going to hold you up so….well you get the picture.
Also, my nickname in high school was “skinny legs” and it fit me. Kinda still does, but I care a little less than I did then. I have thin arms to go with those legs (but without feet at the end because that would be weird.)
For years, I just felt so odd. Everyone else bought shoes from a store (size 6’s and 7’s) and I’m self-conscious when I have to bend down to hug, well most people.
But the truth is, I’m God’s creation. YOU are His creation! Like it or not we are His! There will probably be something about ourselves that we will want to change, tweak or just plain get rid of, but He made us and we are His.
The world is photo shopped and perfected so we have these unattainable standards that we just can’t reach. No amount of dieting, crunches or running will make us look like a magazine cover. We can be healthy. We can never be perfect.
So, how do we love the body He made for us?
One idea is to select one or two parts of your body that you admire and where you can see God’s image best. What a gift it is! Because I am tall and thin, I can complain that my pants will probably always be too short (truly they are!)
But, God has given me these long, elegant arms to wrap around hurting people when they need the love of Jesus.
We sometimes see photos of Jesus as a striking, handsome man. But Scripture gives us a different idea of what He may have looked like:
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53:2 NIV
The physical appearance of Jesus was not necessarily attractive. His outside was not such that we would be drawn to Him. But His heart was, and is what we want to emulate.
It’s so hard isn’t it? If you have a super beautiful friend and you feel “less than” when you compare yourself with her, think about your insides.
Your heart is what matters. Yes, people will see your outside, but only for a moment. Once they get to know you, your inside and the way you represent Jesus will make your beauty radiant. And that can’t be photoshopped out. Ever!
If you struggle with loving yourself in a holy and healthy way, take a moment to thank God for the amazing things your body can do. Thank Him for the way your body is strong enough to serve others in your home and at your job. Let God know you appreciate Him giving you wisdom for thinking through difficult challenges.
Praise Him if your body has grown, birthed, nursed and/or held and comforted a child. Show Him your gratitude for the way He has allowed your beautiful body to function well and to overcome illness and heal! What a gift our bodies are in all shapes, colors, lengths and sizes!
Father God, You have truly made us and knitted us in a way that is miraculous! Thank You! Help me to appreciate what my body does and to know that this is the body You have for me! I’m grateful for the things my physical body does for Your Kingdom and I ask that You would keep me strong so that I would continue to work well for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
For more encouragement, visit Dawn a https://thatdawnedonme.wordpress.com/
© 2017 by Dawn Mast. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Thursday, 17 August 2017.
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