Ray on Monday - God, the Master Weaver

Our son Craig and his Baby
Adam who is now turning
 two years old  in November.

From almost the time of conception through to the child’s birth we saw our little grandchild’s progress. That modern technology ultrasound afforded us the privilege of seeing this young life grow within the mother’s womb. How awesome! How beautiful! How wonderful! Words are incapable of describing the miracle of birth.

Psalm 139 is the classic description of God’s sovereign interest in the unborn child. In verse 15 it says “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.”

There is a lovely idea undergirding the Hebrew word translated ‘woven’in the above verse. It means to embroider. It’s as though God embroiders the make-up of the child from the material supplied by his or her mum and dad. In fact, probably at least four generations have ‘genetic yarn’ woven by God into the body, personality and soul of the child. Is it any wonder God calls people to holiness if for no other reason than the well-being of a future child.

With only the power of outward sight, how did the Psalmist understand the wonder of a baby in the womb? God in His mercy made it known to David so that people even before ultrasound images would appreciate the uniqueness of the unborn and the priceless worth of a child.

Why am I so caught up with this today? Simply because last Saturday at 6pm Haylee Mae Hawkins, our 6th grandchild and 2nd grand-daughter, came into the world.

Some of you would know I’ve written a devotional of 31 days about God’s special interest. It is children! Ps 139 is featured in it. As I cast my eyes across the community and see the neglect, abuse and exploitation of children I not only grieve, I tremble. For God states in the Bible His sternest judgements upon such perpetrators.

In whatever capacity we relate to children, our Heavenly Father instructs us to safeguard the life and worth of a child. We are to be His stepping stones for them to get to know of His love and grace. Let us not be stumbling stones.

Ray (a proud grand-father once again) Hawkins.