Wonderfully Made

(1 Samuel 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51)

We all have biological mothers and fathers, but our true creator is God. Psalm 139:13-16 tells us, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” God knit us together in our mother’s wombs, and we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Each person that walks the Earth is a child of God, which is why we can proclaim that each person that walks the Earth is due the love and respect we would give a child of God. Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me” (Mt 25:40). It is a sobering reality: What we do to others, we do to God. What we do to ourselves, we do to God. Where can we go from God’s Spirit? Where can we flee from God’s presence? (Psalm 139:7-8) Nowhere. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we are in the presence of God. It is a sobering reality.

It is also a joyful reality! Just think: You were created by God, and you are fearfully and wonderfully made! Embrace who you are; embrace who God created you to be! Within you are the natural gifts and talents that God gave you. Discover them. Honor them. Nurture them. Use them to glorify God, for that is why you have them.

We’re going to do a little exercise now, designed to help us honor who God created each of us to be. We’re going to think about the gifts and talents that God gave each of us when God was knitting us together in our mother’s wombs. Each of you should have a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. I want you to think about yourself as a child. Now, I’m going to give you a few minutes to think about four things relating to your childhood. As a child, what did you: 1) love to do; 2) hate to do; 3) do easily; 4) find difficult to do? Write them down.

PAUSE

Okay, now I want you to think about yourself as you are now. As you are now, what do you: 1) love to do; 2) hate to do; 3) do easily; 4) find difficult to do? Write them down.

PAUSE

Now, look at your two lists. Are they the same? Are they different? What remains the same? What has changed?

How we were as children can be an indication of who we are naturally, before we were shaped and formed by our families and society. The things we loved to do and that were easy for us to do as children can indicate what our natural gifts and talents are. The things that we hated to do and that were hard for us to do can indicate what are not our natural gifts and talents, those things at which we have to work harder and that take more energy for us to do.

Ideally, we are living in such a way that our natural gifts and talents are being put to use in the world to glorify God. Of course, situations and circumstances can prevent us from living fully into who God created us to be. EXAMPLES. One of our goals, though, as disciples, is to discern how to best serve God as God created us. Sometimes, we can do that in our professional lives. Even if we can’t do that in our professional lives, though, we can do that in our church and personal lives. We can do things for our church, families, friends, and communities that fit the way each of us was “fearfully and wonderfully” made. Our “call” as disciples is connected to who we are as God created us. The Holy Spirit works through the gifts and talents God gave us when we were being made in the “secret place.”

Over the next week, think about the two lists you made and what the differences and similarities say about you and your life. What gifts and talents did God give you? How are you expressing those gifts and talents in the world? Are there ways that you aren’t doing so? If so, why? If you don’t think you’re living according to God’s will for you, how can you do so?

Each one of us is a child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. Embrace who God created you to be. Embrace others as God created them to be. Delight in the diversity and uniqueness of humankind. Seek out in yourself and others the natural gifts and talents God has given each of us. Praise the gifts, nurture the gifts, honor the gifts, use the gifts, for that is what we are called to do for each and every child of God, including ourselves. Amen.

Sermon preached by the Rev. Amy Johnson, Canton Community Baptist Church, Canton, CT, Sunday, January 14, 2024, the Second Sunday After Epiphany.