"The Tapestry of Life"

We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

One of my favorite poems is called "The Tapestry of Life." The name of the person who wrote it is unknown, but he or she must have been a person blessed by God with insight. The poem reads as follows:

"My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors which He works so steadily.
Oft times He weaves in sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.

"Not till the loom is silent and His shuttles cease to fly
will God unroll the tapestry and explain the reason why
the dark threads are as needed in His skillful hand,
as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."

That is a wonderful illustration of trust. Trust is such a rare, precious thing. Remember when you were little, when you believed everything you were told by a parent or teacher? How quickly we lose that innocent trust! The adults we looked up to soon showed us that they could not always be trusted to keep their promises or tell us the truth. We learned to be suspicious of claims made by advertisers and politicians. We became skeptical about the coverage provided by manufacturer warranties. Some people don’t even trust in the vows spoken by the love of their life at their wedding; they insist on a signed prenuptial agreement, "just in case."

Our bad experiences with other people make us cynical and cautious. Regrettably, our guarded attitude tends to also color our relationship with the Almighty. How can you pray to "Our Father who art in heaven" with a trusting and open heart, when your experiences with your human father have been unpleasant?

It is a terrible mistake to evaluate God based on our experiences with flawed human beings. People are sinful; God is perfect. People let selfishness ruin love; God loves unselfishly. People are undependable; God always keeps His promises. God has said, I will never fail you. I will never turn my back on you (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what happens in your life, you can be sure that the Lord will bring about a good result for you--a result that will build your character, that will better equip you with skills to serve Him, that will deepen your relationship with Him. That good result may not be immediately obvious, but if you trust God, one day you will see the loving care that He put into the weaving of your life.