Years ago a tourist was being shown through one of the oldest castles in England. He admired the rich furnishings, the valuable art treasures and the ornate carvings.
Then he noticed a strange tapestry that had a wild, irregular pattern of colour and knotted threads. The guide, seeing the man’s quizzical look said, “That’s actually the most beautiful piece of art in the castle, but we regularly turn its face to the wall to protect the delicate colours from the light.”
Carefully turning over the weaving, he showed the tourist the most exquisite tapestry he had ever seen.
So too, sometimes God in His wisdom turns the tapestry of our life so that all its beautiful colours and pleasing patterns are hidden from view. When this happens, we must not despair, for God knows what He’s doing. He recognises that too much sunlight of carefree days and prosperity would fade our testimony and ruin His design. In His time, He will change our circumstances so that the beauty and symmetry of His all-wise purposes will again be evident.”
One of my hobbies is doing cross stitch pictures. I do try to keep the back as tidy as possible but most of the time it looks a mess. How then can the front be so neat and become a lovely picture when the back is just a jumble of different coloured threads?
In our world it takes a jumbled up mixture of different coloured peoples, different beliefs, old and young to complete God’s creation. Is it any wonder, then, that God sends trials and turns us away from the sunlight to ensure that our faith strengthens.
God uses life’s reverses to move us forward.
With prayers, Anna.