Carved To Beautify

Psalm 144:12b

...that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:  KJV

May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace. NLT

Our daughters will be like pillars that have been made to decorate a palace. NIrV

...our daughters as sculptured corner pillars hewn like those of a palace; AMP

Our daughters as shapely and bright as fields of wildflowers. MSG

My oldest daughter is at camp this week and I am missing her. She is truly a love of my life. In fact I was in love with her for years before her birth. I often wonder if the journey that brought us together, was for me to understand more deeply, how God loved me before I was born. After all I am believing Jesus died for me over 2000 years ago. And all those promises in His Word are for me. Did He really have me in mind? I know the right answer but do I know it to be life changing. Does it define who I am?

My daughter's identity is defined by who I am and my love for her. She is her own person, with her own responses. Yet it is my love, care and provision for her....both now and before she was born that gives her life choices and ability to live purposefully, with joy, with freedom, without fear. Without me....she would use up all her self to meet her needs and still not be able to meet them.

Do I use up all of myself trying to meet my needs and still not be able to meet them.  Sometimes. Do I forget who  I am? Do I forget how much Jesus the KING loves me. Father God. His Spirit.

Then I remember how my heart and life prepared the way for my daughter... and so rest in knowing, not only the possibility but the reality of God's unconditional love for me. A love that is so strong it was completely formed and solidified before my birth. Before my sin.

Response is all He desires. It's all I desire from my own daughter. I crave a long standing deep relationship with her. Not perfection. I want to be in her life. I want her to know me. I want to know her. I want to share life with her joys, sorrows, pain, victories, tears, concerns, worries, fears, hurts,celebrations, hugs, hopes, dreams and faith. I want the best for her. I am willing to sacrifice for her. My desire is to bless her. My love for her is unconditional. I miss her when she isn't around or any loss of communication. I want her to trust me. Trust my love for her. Love me. It really isn't difficult. Why do we make it more than that with the LORD? 

I rejoice that we are daughters of the KING. May HE continue polishing, carving, sculpting us into beauty. Carved to beautify. The graceful heart that needs to grow in me is to say thank you when I want to say OUCH! Carved to beautify ya know! That word carve scares me a bit. Blood and pain and loss begin to dance around in my head leaving only small amounts of space for contemplating what comes next. I can become so fixated on the now of being carved, I lose faith. Graceful Faith. The kind of faith that makes me beautiful. Carve away LORD. I'm ready though my eyes are squeezing shut! I am so glad you love me. May the LORD continue to raise me and help me join Him raising His Daughters that I am blesses with.

Graceful pillars of His Palace! Pillars are structurally important to the rest of the construction. We stand with The Corner Stone. In fact He is asking us to be as He is. (Be Holy because He IS Holy) He desires to see our beauty. He desires us with Him. And each other. He has loved us and shown us how to stand and be beautiful. He's been waiting for each of us for a very long time. Love secure. Faithful. Carved to Beautify.