THE TAPESTRY
Life is but a weaving
Between the Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colours
He weaveth steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow
And I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And shuttles cease to fly
Will God unrol the canvas,
And reveal the reason 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.
He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this truth can dim:
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
(Attributed to Corrie Ten Boom)
Life is full of questions and few answers. Stuff happens and we try to ease our pain by finding reasons but, like Job, we hear nothing and are left floundering in the darkness of our own confusion.
I guess Corrie Ten Boom must have lived through much pain and God’s deafening silence during the years of her suffering in a concentration camp. Her testimony is to a good God who knows what He is doing.
The saying, “Life is lived forward but understood backwards” comes alive when we reflect on our times of hardship and suffering.
Imagine a painting or tapestry done only with light and bright colours. How pale and insipid it would be! Dark colours bring out the design, highlighting the artist’s skill with colour and contrast.
The late Thomas Kinkade became known as the”Painter of Light”. His quaint paintings emphasised the beauty of light against the background of dark streets, dark gardens, and dark houses.
Imagine the picture of our lives painted only in pastels, no dark colours, no hard times, no problems to solve, no obstacles to overcome, no weaknesses needing strength from above, no sorrow to comfort, no pain or suffering to endure to make our faith muscles strong. Our character would be as colourless as our picture.
Suffering is a contentious issue for those who have no faith in a good God. Suffering seems to confirm their mistrust. However, we who trust the God who said that He works IN ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him, learn that hardships, trials, tests, and suffering are the very experiences He uses to strengthen our faith in Him, and hone our character. How can we ever know the greatness of His mercy and grace without the need to call on His name when life throws us a curveball?
Truly, God is weaving our life’s tapestry to reveal His skill and wisdom. Only He can produce the inner beauty of lives that endure, grow, and blossom out of an environment as dark as lilies growing in the dirt.
So, let’s not question His wisdom or His love. Let’s submit to His discipline and wait patiently for the day when He unrols the canvas to reveal His exquisite masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
[10] “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”