Tapestry

Imagine a piece of cloth just tossed aside in a heap, void of any obvious structure, shape or purpose. It’s plain, unattractive & basically goes unnoticed…that is, until it submits itself to its creator who has a specific, unique design in mind. That’s similar to how our lives are before we allow God-our creator-to have His way in our hearts.

Sometimes I see life as an extravagant, ornate piece of tapestry-so intricately woven together, so rich and complex, that it’s sometimes next to impossible to see where one detail ends and the next one begins. So many details meshed together-smooth, shiny, sparkling threads interwoven with rough, dark, course ones. Yet they must all be included to make the masterpiece complete.

How often do we come to God with our own preconceived ideas of what the design should look like, bringing to him a finished piece, frame and all, assuming we knew what colors and textures it would take to create this glorious work of art. We set off to work without Him, instead of allowing Him to transform us into His likeness-weaving His thoughts, His character, His love through the cloth of our hearts one thread at a time.

Then He is forced to strip us bare, and begin again. He has to make our hearts soft and malleable, and our spirits willing. He wants us to be so keenly aware of our need for Him and so desperate for His touch so that He can transform our dull, lifeless existence into a life filled with His bright, bold colors and strokes.

God knows what is best for us, yet He won’t force His will upon us. It’s only when we allow Him the freedom to do what is required (even when we don’t understand, and it’s painful and we beg Him to quit), & trust Him enough to choose to place the needle and thread back in His ever-loving hands, can our true colors and shape show forth.

John 13:7, “Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “The word of our Lord holds true and everything He does is worthy of our trust.” Psalm 33:4

We can’t see the entire picture, the pattern that He is forming with our lives, the shades of our circumstances, nor the tones of our individual situations. And even if we could, we still wouldn’t be able to comprehend it all.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

We were never meant to sew our own lives together. He knows we are not capable. So as painful as it may be, let Him untie your knots, untangle the mess you’ve made, mend the places where you’ve missed a stitch or two, and trust Him to create the work of art that you are!

Isaiah 64:8, “We are all the work of Your hand.” Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

That’s the key-HE will complete it!!

I guess the point I’m trying to make is this: Becoming the people we were designed to be is not a self-made effort, a self-improvement program, nor an instant occurrence- but a process. We will never “arrive” this side of Heaven…. We cannot in our own power live the life that He has planned for us. It’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we will ever discover our purpose and be able to carry it out. No two tapestries will ever be identical. One shade he places in my life, won’t necessarily match the one He chooses for yours. We have to be emptied of ourselves and any preconceived ideas before God can truly fill us, mold us, and shape us…One thread at a time, one color at a time until we each reflect the hand-picked, one of a kind image that He has chosen for His beautiful creation.

Romans 9:16, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”


My mom gave me the following poem that either her mom or grandma had. I thought it was the perfect compliment to what I wrote above. Fitting, isn't it?


“My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.
Often times he weaveth sorrow,
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I, the underside.
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttle cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reasons why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the Pattern He has planned.”
Author Unknown