Sanctity of Life

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

Sanctity of life. It’s a phrase used today mainly by pro-life advocates and refers to the belief that human life is sacred and holy. The phrase is used mainly in relation to controversial issues like abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem-cell research. It has been politicized. It has been debated. It has, quite frankly, been trampled on by a society that no longer seems to believe it is true. But what does God say? Politics aside, what does the Bible say about human life?

There can be no biblical respect for life without first understanding and believing Who is the Giver of all life. God is not only the initiator and sustainer of life; He is also intricately and personally involved in the formation of every human life that has ever existed. In Psalm 139 King David praises God as the Creator of his inmost being (literally his kidneys…or internal organs) and the one Who “knit” him together in the womb. David doesn’t speak of a God Who sets life in motion and then sits back and lets nature take its course, but rather a God Who personally and precisely creates us down to our most inward parts.

If we believe what God’s Word says – and we should – then we must acknowledge that the womb is a holy place. This should not be hard to believe since God placed His own Son in a womb. If we believe this Word then we can no longer use phrases like, “it was an accident” to describe unplanned pregnancy. Surprise? Maybe. Accident? Never. God doesn’t accidentally do anything. If we believe this Word, then we must change the way we view children conceived through rape. We must change the way we view children born with special needs or physical differences. They aren’t tragedies their parents have to overcome. They aren’t retarded. They aren’t deformed. They aren’t less than. They, too, have been formed and knit together by the Almighty and good hands of God.

Do you truly understand the sanctity of life? Do you understand the holiness of the womb…the worth of every life placed there? It isn’t really an issue of how we view life. It’s an issue of how we view God. So I ask you, is your view of God too small?

God, I confess that at times, my view of You is too small. I try to fit You into a space that I am comfortable with instead of choosing to see You the way Your Word clearly says that You are. Please help me to honor You as not only my Creator but also as the Creator of all people. May I see others the way You see them and show them the dignity and love they deserve simply because You made them. In Jesus’ name, amen.