Loving what God Fashioned

Today I caught myself doing something I think most of us ladies do; critiquing my body and feeling not so comfortable in my skin. I consider myself to be body positive. I’ve been blessed with a fairly active metabolism which has allowed me a significant amount of time without having to be overly conscious of my eating habits. For the most part my body has stayed in what our society views as generally “in shape”.

However, through most of my childhood and teenage years I was on and off a medication called Prednisone which in large quantities would alter my physical appearance so much and so quickly that I would become almost unrecognizable within a short period of time. The sudden fluctuations in weight from sick and very thin to weight gain and swelling for such a large part of my life, especially through my young adulthood, left me with a lasting struggle with body image.

I know that having a healthy body expectation and healthy habits are what’s most important but it’s tempting when looking in the mirror to zoom into those not so flawless parts of my body. Today, as I was poking some extra “cushion” and examining a few bits of cellulite I was reminded of the creation story.

In Genesis, we read how God created the earth and all the things we can see and feel around us. I heard a fabulous message from Kris Vallotton on the creation story and particularly about the formation of man and woman that reveals so much of God’s intention in how He designed us.

Scripture tells us in Gen. 2:5-7 that “God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.” We know this is the defining difference between the animals that were formed on the Earth and Adam. Adam was given life through the very breath of God – it’s what gave him a spirit. As Adam is spending his first days on Earth God gives him dominion over the animals which were also formed from the dirt of the ground as well as the responsibility of naming the animals.  As Adam is naming each animal according to its kind he discovers a little problem. As all these animals are brought to Adam, in Genesis 2:20 it says “but he (Adam) didn’t find a suitable companion.” God sees that this is not good so he designs a helper for Adam. In verse 22 it says “God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make a woman and presented her to the Man.” Adam instantly knows Eve is exactly perfect for him.

Now this is where the English language doesn’t do this part of the story justice. In Genesis, when God formed man the Hebrew word used is yatsar which literally means “to form” but in Genesis 2:22 when God made Eve the Hebrew word is banah which means “fashioned”.

I don’t know about you but when I think of an artist or creator fashioning something I think of extra care and detail. I think of inspiration and masterpiece. Now we know that man and woman were both created in the image of God but something was different in the care God took to physically form Eve. I believe God created women to be beautifully desired, not in an unhealthy way, but beautifully designed to express God’s extraordinary craftsmanship and grace.

So today as I was nitpicking at myself I realized how silly it is to not recognize the wonderful masterpiece God made in me. This majestic creator perfectly chose the amount of pigment that would be my skin color, the exact shade of my eyes, the curvature of my arms and legs, the creases of my smile, my little pinky toe to the very last hair on my head. He designed all these features with gladness and approval. Why then do I fall for the old lie that I’m NOT beautiful?

In Romans 12:1, Paul says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”

This is a declaration not only to care for our bodies and use our bodies for God’s work but also that our bodies are actually “holy” and “pleasing” to God. Caring for them and acknowledging our beauty is a form of worship!

If you are struggling with a poor body-image please know this - God desires for us to be healthy so we should be good keepers of this wonderful creation we are entrusted with but God also desires for us to see the beauty in what he has fashioned in the physical YOU – every single bit of you. As a parent when I look at my daughters I see the most beautiful little girls ever created. My girls also look very different from each other. Each with her own unique and utterly gorgeous features. Who knew these 2 girls that look so different could both be so perfect? I believe God, our father, sees us in exactly the same way.

So, the next time you look in the mirror and are tempted to list all the things about your appearance you don’t think are beautiful, don’t fall for that lie! Instead take a moment to thank God for your body and it’s amazing abilities and also to remember the way God sees it – holy and pleasing, a beautiful masterpiece, perfectly and uniquely fashioned just for you.