More than 25 years ago, my dear friend’s son was born with a serious heart defect requiring multiple open-heart surgeries. I will never forget visiting them when he was just a toddler. At bedtime, I watched her dress him in his pajamas and tuck him in for the night. As she settled him in his bed, she took her finger and lovingly traced the long scar on his chest as she said these words, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”

I picture that tender moment every time I hear this verse. Knowing that we are made in God’s image, I think, is not so much about us trying to identify with God as it is about the realization that God identifies with us. We have the assurance that God knows our hearts—literally and figuratively. God knows our strengths and weaknesses, our greatest hopes and deepest fears. God knows all of our thoughts and our feelings. God knows where we are broken and where we are whole. God knit us together, and God knows all of it.

Beloved, God knows your scars more intimately than you do, and they are precious to Him.

Today, can you picture God tracing those scars, visible and invisible, with God’s own hand and saying to you, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made?”

Creator God, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. When I feel overcome by the awareness of my flaws, remind me that you see beauty where I see scars. Help me believe that you lovingly knit me together and that your works are wonderful. May I bring glory to your name. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.