After reading ‘The Family Blessing’ by Rolf Garborg, I realized how important it is to understand the relationship between a weaver and its tapestry. He mentioned his Dad’s favorite book called Rest a While, which explains how our life is similar to a tapestry.
“A human life is likened unto a tapestry that is to be woven. Day by day the shuttle moves back and forth, and the tapestry grows. As thread is laid upon thread, the design begins to emerge. A thread is such a tiny thing. And yet the whole tapestry is made of such threads. If some threads are improperly woven, the whole design will be marred.”
While reading this, I imagine God holding the ‘weaving shuttle,’ and we are His masterpiece. I see threads woven by past events, past relationships, and past encounters. Each symbolizes the colors of the thread on it, creating a unique pattern. All lines are intertwined. So when that tapestry is hanged, people will see His beautiful creation.
But how does it look like when viewed from the backside? Are we still going to be in awe of it? Can we still appreciate It as it appears to be nothing more than jumble threads that are tangled, a bit of a mess? From this side, it seems that His creation is rough and bears no resemblance to the front side.
Most of the time, I view my life on this side of the tapestry. I stand behind it and only see the knotted and frayed edges that God is doing. I always beg God to pull the loose threads because I couldn’t see the purpose of it. I am mostly baffled and would ask God this,” Lord, how could those stray ends come together to give shape, meaning, and artistry to my tapestry of life?” I just don’t get it.
Then, I came across Psalms 138:8 (ESV).
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, Oh Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Just like the psalmist, I realized that I have to know and trust the MASTER WEAVER. Knowing that God will fulfill His purpose for me and trusting that even when I am broken and I am in a hopeless situation, God has a plan. He knows, and He cares!
Nothing happens by accident. There is no such thing as wasted experience, good or bad. So even the dark threads have their purpose. It’s intriguing that dark colors, mainly black, are used for definition and shadow. Those shadows aid in perspective creation and define solids. They create depth. So, life, like a tapestry, is woven together from each of the individual threads. Both the vibrant and the dark-colored ones are vital in making our lives whole.
When things seem bleak, we just have to remember to look at both sides of the tapestry. And to trust the MASTER WEAVER - the ‘One' who weaves it all together - has a plan and knows exactly what He is doing. On days when we think that our lives are in disarray and that everything is falling apart. God has a different perspective.
Remember that the Lord is not only the thread that runs through HIs creation, but He is also the One who holds it together to make it beautiful and priceless. So you can be content knowing that the Lord is working on a MASTERPIECE, and that is YOU!
Remember this:
Ephesians 2:10, ESV: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
REFLECTIONS
Take a peek at your own tapestry for a bit. Create an image of it in your mind. See the beautiful colors that have been woven through the reflections of the past. Take note of where the most vibrant colors are located and what it is that defines them.
Then, express gratitude to all weavers who have woven threads into your tapestry, whether dark or bright.
Take a long pause and reflect; when did you struggle to see what God is doing in your life? Were you looking at the backside of the tapestry? How did you wrestle and resolve to believe that He was weaving something beautiful in you?
When was the last time you said, “Lord, I give you the ‘weaving shuttle,’ You are the MASTER weaver; So I am your masterpiece.”
If you haven’t done that, you can say this prayer:
“God, please let my life’s tapestry be woven correctly. I am surrendering the shuttle to You. So you may continue your work in me as you will. Let my life be your tapestry that when people look at it, they will see YOUR design in it.
5. And because we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works,
what colors are you weaving into the tapestries of others?
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