The Quilt Work of God

Scripture: Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the supper. Mark 6:39 (The Message)

It seems like I am always coming back to the really cool symbolism of how our lives are like tapestries. I am not sure if you have ever witnessed anyone or maybe you crochet or cross-stitch or quilt. But it is so neat to watch the progression of a piece like that. It is at first so small and it is hard to imagine what the finished product will look like, but when the work is done, you can touch it and see the beautiful colors and yes feel the love that the person who made it put into every stitch.

Over the weekend a dear friend of mine was sharing a story with me about how long ago she received a prayer box as a graduation gift when she graduated High School. We talked about the cedar box and how it held various things throughout the years and how she had cherished it. After a long conversation I discovered that it was my Father-in-law’s furniture store that used to give those gifts to graduating seniors at Franklin County High School. Woow! God knew that I needed to be reminded of the thread that He had woven in the lives of our family.
O my goodness, it takes a needle to make a stitch? How painful the needle of God can be sometimes when He stitches those hard to knit spots? But it must happen in order for the pieces of our lives to be beautiful in the end. Not so that we can be lovely, but so that God can be glorified. Has anyone every given you a piece they made? And when people ask about it you always glorify the creator. “Oh yes, my Aunt Bet made that, I love it!” Or, “My Granny made that for me and it is my favorite!” It is the same way with God, when people look at us and see the beauty that He has made within us, He is glorified!

It would be good if there was another way to just be a giant piece of fabric without all the stitching. But even a solid piece of material has small stitching that weaves it together. Besides, it is those hard to make pieces that are the loveliest. Oh, and the best part is when you get a hole ripped in your fabric, God takes out His omnipotent thread and stitches it back stronger than it was before. He reinforces that spot that is damaged with His healing touch and love.

I hope you will seek God about the thread that He has run throughout the stitches of your life. It will touch you so deeply when you begin to see how he has carefully stitched every part.

Leslie Stephens
Winchester, TN

Prayer: Almighty Quilter, stitch me together so that I will display the splendor of my Creator! Amen!

Prayer Tip: Take some quiet time when you prayer to seek God about where He has been most evident in your life for that day.

9-24-07