16th July 2021
God designed and created our bodies.
God created all those funny shaped noses and big ears and wobbly bellies and weird shaped feet that smell a bit funny.
God designed me to be four foot ten (and a half) maybe they designed you to be six foot seven.
God probably likes that awful red flush I get across my neck and the top of my chest when I’m embarrassed, or angry or upset, they probably think it’s sweet, even though I hate it.
God designed my protruding chin with the cherry on the end of it. God knew that when I got past forty it’d have jowls hanging down the side of it. God created our bodies to tell stories as we age, through lines round our eyes, greys in our hairs, bits that wobble more than they used to and the beautiful fragility of paper-thin skin round eyes that still sparkle and lips that smile a thousand smiles. Ageing is beautiful
God created our hair. The hair in our armpits and on our legs that we so meticulously shave, wax, epilate – whatever. The peach fuzz on our faces, that turns to whiskers once we get past forty and people keep telling me will grow back thicker if I shave it- what a load of bollocks, if that were true men with thinning hair would all be shaving their heads, and old men would have the most ridiculous bushy beards from all the years of shaving. God created the hair that sprouts out of my boyfriend’s nose and tries to disguise itself as moustache and the hair my dad carefully removes from his ears, wondering why it grows there but not on top of his head. Because that’s how God designed him. All those hairs that we trim, shave, pluck, curl, straighten, dye, fret and worry about and spend billions on. God knows exactly how many of them there are on each of our bodies. They’re part of the wonderful masterpiece called “humanity.”
We may look in the mirror and say “eugh” or at one another in judgement, God looks at us and says “very good.” We’re all amazing.
God designed the things our bodies do.
God designed the adrenaline rush we get when we are fearful, the surge of cortisone that pumps up our muscles when we shake with rage and fury. God designed the flinch when we burn, the pain when we’re injured. They all serve a purpose for our good and our safety.
God designed the butterflies we feel before giving a speech, taking an exam or when that guy we have a crush on smiles at us. God designed the quiver and tingle that sparks and washes over you when the same guy brushes your arm, the warmth as he holds your hand for the first time, the quickening heart rate during a first kiss, or indeed a last kiss. God designed that weakness in your knees when the person you desire breathes in your ear; God designed the feeling of wanting to be closer, so close he’s inside you. God created that.
God created big penises and small penises and wonky penises and hairy vulvas of every shape and size. God created the G-Spot, the clitoris, the glans, the frenulum, lips, nipples and all those other lovely erogenous bits. God designed them to do what they do and feel the way they feel. God invented the orgasm, the multiple orgasm. God made sex feel nice. God made sex feel not only nice but intimate. Sex is good for us (scientists can prove that) it is healthy, it is normal. Sometimes it is beautiful, sacred, soulful. Other times it’s just wild frenetic fun! But wherever it is consensual and bringing pleasure to all involved it is good.
Our bodies, what they look like, what they do, how they feel, sex, they’re all normal, natural, and designed by our awesome creative God. So why the shame? Why the worry? Why the time wasted on hating them or denying them or trying to control other people’s bodies? Why the denial of enjoyment and pleasure and intimacy with one another? We were created to love one another, to cherish one another, to enjoy one another’s company, and that includes our bodies. It’s all good.
