bit by bit

Tuesday, September 24, 2019 (6:51 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Good morning. What shall we explore together this morning? How about this giant mess I created for myself yesterday?

It certainly was easy enough to bring all this stuff out. What now? How do I pare it all down?

Hmm. Yes. Abbreviate. Reduce. Decrease gradually. Bit by bit. Yes Father. All that I have gleaned from You through the years has been bit by bit. In exactly the right proportions. At just the appropriate time.

The smile on my face right now is one of deep satisfaction. Contentment. Peacefulness. Thank You Lord.

Thank You that You know me. Not only that. You love me. In a way that no earthly person ever has. Or will. You created me. Bit by bit.

And would You just look at this? EXACTLY the verse that came to mind. This time in The Message. Psalm 139:13-16.

“Oh yes, You shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank You, High God - You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration - what a creation! You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”

Holy God, it is so easy for me to use the word wrong when I think of circumstances. Situations. People. Myself. Thank You that when I align myself with Your Truth I am reminded that while I may very well make mistakes, I myself am not one!

Thank You Lord. You and Your Word help me laugh out loud. I recognize myself so often. And learn errors in my thinking. Thank You.

The Life Recovery Bible Serenity Prayer Devotional for Psalm 139:1-16 addresses our own difficulties in “accepting our personalty, our appearance, our handicap, or even our talents.” Thank You Lord for bit by bit changing my thinking from wrong to different to fearfully and wonderfully made (v. 14).

Continuing in the devotional, “Saying we are God’s ‘workmanship’ means that we are unique and beautiful masterpieces - works of divine poetry. Beauty and value are designed into the very fiber of our being by virtue of our Creator.”

Bit by bit, Father. Bit by bit!

“One important step in the recovery process is to allow God to remove our self-hatred, helping us to value ourself for who we are. We have been miraculously created, and we are treasured by God.This has been true since the time we were in our mother’s womb, long before we could do anything to earn it! As we begin to see how unique and special we are - embraced and accepted by God Himself - our strides toward recovery should grow faster and longer.”

My strides may very well be slow and tentative on my own. But in Your strength and mighty power (Ephesians 6:10) I get to grow and change and become all You created me for. Bit by bit.

Thank You Father! I love You. Use me this day, exactly as You know is best. Bit by bit. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(568 words ~ 8:19 a.m.)