I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

— Psalm 139:14

It’s easy for us to think that we lack beauty. For example, you may feel that you don’t meet the beauty standards set by the world today. If you don’t look like a fashion model, maybe you feel less beautiful than others. Or you may feel that your life doesn’t meet the standards of a beautiful life. Maybe you have made mistakes in the past that you continue to regret. Perhaps your family and professional life haven’t turned out the way you had hoped. Or you may have habits and behavior that you aren’t proud of. You may also feel that you don’t have much internal beauty either.

But God has something different to say. In Psalm 139, God assures us that we are “wonderfully made.” God’s creative power was at work not just in forming galaxies at the beginning of time, but also in forming each unique part of you. God made you beautiful.

Psalm 139 assures us that the God who formed us before we were born is still intimately involved in our lives. The God who made you beautiful at the beginning continues to show you grace and to restore you to beauty every day. By God’s grace, you are not defined by the mistakes you have made or the ugly parts of your life. You are defined by the love of the God who created you in beauty.

Ever-present God, you know everything about me, even my failures, and yet you love me. Thank you for creating me to be beautiful. Thank you for your grace that sees me as beautiful still. Amen.