MAY 13, 2014
New
Birth
Read: Psalm
139:7-16
You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. —Psalm 139:13
What is there about
babies that makes us smile? Many people will stop everything at the sight or
sound of a baby and will flock to gaze at the little one. I noticed this when I
visited my dad at a nursing home. Though most of the residents were
wheelchair-bound and suffered from dementia, the visit of a family with a baby
almost unfailingly brought a spark of joy to their eyes that—tentatively at
first but then undoubtedly—became a smile. It was amazing to watch.
Perhaps babies bring a
smile because of the wonder of a new life—so precious, tiny, and full of
promise. Seeing a baby can remind us of our awesome God and the great love He
has for us. He loved us so much that He gave us life and formed us in our
mother’s womb. “You formed my inward parts,” the psalmist says, “You covered me
in my mother’s womb” (Ps. 139:13).
Not only does He give
us physical life but He also offers us spiritual rebirth through Jesus (John
3:3-8). God promises believers new bodies and life eternal when Jesus returns
(1 Cor. 15:50-52).
Physical life and
spiritual rebirth—gifts to celebrate from our Father’s hand.
In His own image God
created man,
He formed his body
from the dust of earth;
But more than that, to
all who are in Christ
He gives eternal life
by second birth. —Hess
I will praise You . .
. ; marvelous are Your works. —Psalm 139:14
Insight
In David’s inspired
reflections on the presence of God everywhere, we see an eloquent description
of the child’s development within the mother’s womb. “My frame was not hidden
from You, when I was made in secret” (v.15). God’s providential oversight of
the development of new life is a testimony to the image of God in humans. God
cares about us and our need for rescue. It was because of this love that He
became a man and purchased redemption for all who place their trust in Jesus’
sacrificial death and resurrection.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
