God’s Love is Whole. He loves our Spirit, Soul, and Body
Psalm 139:13-15
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Pastor Daniel, over the past few weeks, has shared messages with us about how important it is to love one another intentionally — both those placed around us and even those who are difficult to love. Last week, we learned that this is only possible if we rid ourselves of following the patterns of this world: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life, which occupy the space in our hearts where our love for God and others should reside.
Now that we have learned how we ought to love others, what about ourselves? How does God love me?
The New Testament was written in Greek, which uses several words to describe love: agape (spiritual or sacrificial love), phileo (brotherly love), and eros (romantic or physical love). These distinctions can help us better understand how God calls us to love Him and one another. Yet at times, these forms of love appear to overlap in Scripture. For example, in John 16:27, when Jesus describes how the Father loves us, He uses phileo rather than agape. Meanwhile, in John 14:15, when Jesus calls us to love Him and obey His commandments, He uses agape and not phileo. This suggests that these expressions of love are not always rigid categories.
Interestingly, the word eros is never explicitly used in the New Testament. However, we still see examples throughout Scripture of God’s deep affection and delight toward His creation. The first way we see this is in how God loves our bodies.
God Loves Our Bodies
Scripture shows us that God intentionally created us in His image, with careful craftsmanship, just as a master potter shapes clay (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 1:31, Isaiah 64:8). In today’s passage, Psalm 139:15 uses the phrase “my frame,” referring to the structure and form of the body being skillfully formed by God. Likewise, when verse 14 says we are “fearfully made,” it speaks of an awe-inspiring wonder that leads us to reverence.
Have you ever been ashamed of your appearance?
Pastor Daniel shared some insecurities he struggled with growing up — his skin tone, stature, and smaller frame. Yet he overcame these insecurities through the understanding that, in God’s eyes, he is beautifully and wonderfully made.
When others speak negatively about your appearance, it does not diminish your worth or beauty. Rather, they fail to recognize the beauty of God’s craftsmanship in you.
If that is still difficult to believe, imagine a room full of babies. Which one is the most beautiful? It is almost impossible to choose because each one is beautiful. Yet to every parent, their own child is precious and lovely beyond comparison. If earthly parents can feel this way toward their children, how much more does God delight in us?
At the same time, while God loves our bodies, He ultimately looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
There is nothing wrong with improving our physical health or taking care of our appearance, but we must examine the motivation behind our transformation. If our goal is health, stewardship, or discipline, that is good. But if our worth becomes dependent on the approval of others, we risk falling back into the desires of the eyes.
God created us intentionally and wonderfully.
So What Should We Do?
Have confidence in your appearance, knowing that God intentionally created you.
Free yourself from the exhaustion of constantly trying to maintain an image for others.
Focus not only on outward appearance, but on cultivating your heart.
The bible teaches us that when we learn to appreciate ourselves through God’s eyes, we become more compassionate toward others and begin to see them with God’s heart as well.
Reflection Questions:
When I look at myself, whose voice shapes my identity most — God’s, my own, or other people’s?
Am I spending more effort shaping my outward image (appearance) or cultivating my heart?
How might seeing yourself through God’s eyes change the way you speak to, care for, and extend grace to others?
