I have been working on my daughter’s afghan for years! This has been quite a project. It was supposed to be a gift for her high-school graduation; she is now a sophomore in college. I certainly missed that target! Just yesterday, I found the receipt when I purchased the yarn and to my shock it was five years ago. Where has the time gone? I had no idea that I had been working on this project for so long! I can see the light as I am about to add the border, finish off the loose strands, and then I will be done.
The pattern she chose is quite unique and intricate. While the instructions I am working from looks like a black and white cross stich pattern with boxes filled with symbols to indicate color changes, the resulting pattern creates an abstract image of butterfly wings and flowers. As I sit down to work with the afghan, it is a pleasure to complete each stitch. With each row I see the pattern developing and becoming more beautiful. It is fascinating to watch the pattern develop and the colors come to life as the stitches are completed. It is definitely a labor of love!
In 1 Kings, I read of another beautiful project. The temple that was built by Solomon was fantastically designed. It had every detail down to the number of pomegranates and lilies that decorated the pillars. It must have been beautiful to see and experience its grandeur.
1 Kings 7:51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
A tremendous amount of work went into creating this masterpiece. I have to image that it was exciting for Solomon to stand back and appreciate the beauty of God’s plan and design.
As I continued on with my reading, the Lord showed me something that made me smile. He showed me that I am a beautiful project.
Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalms 139:5-6 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Psalms 139: 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
The words in Psalms took on new meaning as I considered my daughter’s afghan. I have to imagine that just as I love to work on the afghan, He loves to work on me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God’s handywork in my life is marvelous. If I take a moment to reflect, I can see how He has changed behaviors, and thought patterns. He has helped me to be more caring and less selfish. I love that I am one of His projects.
I love to spread out the nearly-finished afghan and admire the colors and patterns. I have to believe that the Lord does the same thing. He stands back and takes a moment to admire His creation in me. From the verses above, I believe that He has an interest in every experience and trial, every stitch and color that creates me and how He has made me unique.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
He takes pleasure in working with me! This is an amazing thing to realize. I am a beautiful project! For this I am thankful!
There was a point in the project where I noticed that three rows back, I had made the wrong color change and a few stitches were made with the wrong color. At that point I had a decision to make. Was I going to unravel three rows to go back and fix those stitches? I decided to not destroy the work to fix those errors. The integrity of the afghan was not compromised. The finished project will not be perfect, but in its imperfections, it will be incredibly beautiful.
Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
In a similar way, I can search my life and identify many errors and mistakes. So many! But am I going to unravel the work that the Lord has done, or halt all further progress on His creation because of those errors and mistakes?
Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
This would be foolish! These mistakes and errors are a part of me and make me who I am today. I have learned from those mistakes. Am I going to “fret” against the Lord and stop learning, stop serving, stop trying to improve, stop praying because of past errors? If I do that, then the Lord’s work in my life will never come to completion. My life will be about my mistakes and errors rather than about the Lord’s beautiful creation in me. My errors and mistakes do not make me less precious or less beautiful. They become a part of my story and add to the beauty of the finished project.
As God is working on me, stitch by stitch, I may lose perspective of the big picture. All I see is what I are currently working through or my present struggle. But if I could spread my life out and view it from a distance, I believe I would see how beautifully I have developed by the Lord.
I would be foolish to believe that my daughter’s afghan is going to complete itself. I have to work on it. I have to pick it up and put some time into each stitch. I are a beautiful project of the Lord’s; I am wonderfully made and precious. I need to allow the Lord to pick me up and work with me. I will place myself in His hands so that He can finish his beautiful and marvelous project.
You are one of God’s beautiful and marvelous projects and I love watching Him work on you!
Related Bible Passages:
1 Kings 7
Psalms 139
Proverbs 19
Revelation 4-5
Have a face to face conversation with your Lord:
Lord, do I see myself as being precious in your sight?
Lord, how have you made me beautiful?
Lord, how am I focus on my faults and my past mistakes rather than on the beauty you are creating in me?
Lord, thank you for working on me. I place myself in your capable hands…
If you are interested in having a collection of these devotional conversations with your Lord, consider purchasing the devotional book, Conversations: Face to Face with Your Lord Book 1 or Conversations: Face to Face with Your Lord Book 2. Book 3 is coming soon! They are available from Amazon by clicking on the titles above.
Glory, Strength, & Beauty 
Thank you for the reminders. I love Psalm 139!
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