|Fearfully & Wonderfully Wired|
David’s words in Psalm 139:14—“I am fearfully and wonderfully made”—are not just poetic sentiment; they are a scientific reality. As modern research continues to uncover the mysteries of the body, it only amplifies the truth that Scripture proclaimed long ago: we are woven together with breathtaking intentionality. At the center of this divine design is the nervous system—the body’s communication network, the living thread that keeps the whole temple in order.
The nervous system is composed of billions of neurons, firing like sparks of holy lightning. These neurons send electrical signals from the brain throughout the body, coordinating every movement, every sensation, every breath. Without this system, the body collapses into chaos. Paul’s image of the Church as a body “joined and held together” (Ephesians 4:16) is not an abstract metaphor; it is a reflection of biology itself. Without Christ as Head, the body of believers spasms in disorder, just as a body without neural direction falls apart.
Medical science tells us that heart rate variability (HRV) is one of the clearest indicators of nervous system health. Higher HRV shows resilience, flexibility, and capacity for connection. Lower HRV reflects stress, exhaustion, or disease (Shaffer & Ginsberg, Frontiers in Public Health, 2017). Scripture anticipated this truth in another tongue: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long” (Psalm 32:3). David was describing the toll of unresolved grief and sin—dysregulation long before science gave it a name.
The vagus nerve, often called the “wandering nerve,” runs from brainstem to gut, touching nearly every organ. Neuroscientist Kevin Tracey’s research has shown that vagal activation can reduce inflammation, calm the body, and promote healing (Nature Reviews Immunology, 2002). How does one stimulate the vagus nerve? Through deep breathing, singing, crying, prayer, or even the simple act of being held. Is it any wonder, then, that Scripture commands: “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1), “Devote yourselves to prayer” (Colossians 4:2), and “Bear one another’s burdens”(Galatians 6:2)? The practices of faith double as practices of physiological regulation. What the Word commands, the body confirms.
Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory describes three primary states of the nervous system: ventral vagal (safe and social), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown) (Neurophysiology of Emotion, 2011). In spiritual terms, when we abide in Christ, our relational circuits are online; when fear and sin dominate, we live in fight or freeze. Jesus’ words—“Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39)—were not only to the sea, but to every storming body. Neuroscience calls it regulation. The gospel calls it shalom.
The unity of the body is also echoed in how all systems depend on one another. The heart cannot function without the lungs; the lungs without the blood; the blood without the nervous system guiding its flow. Paul wrote, “The body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:14). Biology preaches the same sermon: disconnection means death, connection means life.
Jesus Himself ministered directly to the body. He touched lepers. He placed His fingers in deaf ears. He laid hands on the blind. He called a paralyzed man to walk—and suddenly, signals began firing down legs that had been silent for years. These were not merely symbolic miracles; they were nervous-system restorations. They were the Kingdom breaking in through flesh and nerve.
Even the sacraments testify. Baptism immerses the whole body, communion nourishes through taste and touch, and the laying on of hands communicates both blessing and regulation. These are embodied acts. They settle anxious systems, strengthen weary frames, and remind us that salvation is not abstract—it is incarnate.
Research in embodied cognition emphasizes that our very thoughts are shaped by our bodily experiences (Varela, Thompson, & Rosch, The Embodied Mind, 1991). The Bible has always affirmed this truth: we are not disembodied souls but integrated beings. Our worship, our tears, our trembling hands—all are part of our faith.
So what does this mean for us? It means that every breath you take, every song you sing, every hand you hold, is both spiritual and physiological. It means that the trembling you feel in fear or shame is not weakness, but a signal. And it means that healing in Christ is not reserved for your soul alone, but for your whole being—body, mind, and spirit.
You are fearfully and wonderfully wired. Your nervous system, your immune system, your beating heart—they are all part of the same sermon. And the message is this: life flows through connection. Christ is the Head. Stay with Him, and every part will live.
