With the Dearne Community Arts’ Festival less than two weeks away, it’s perhaps not surprising that my thoughts are on crafty things lately like mosaics and embroidery! When I was at school, the subject I hated the most (because I was no good at it!) was sewing or embroidery. I could never see well enough to thread needles and the sewing machine I had to use seemed all wrong to me, being left-handed. I lacked the patience to persevere with these skills and always ended up with work which would be tangled and messy and need unpicking and re-working.
I loved to look at embroidery that was done well. Tablecloths and cushion covers at my grandparents’ house were inevitably embroidered, and I would marvel at the neatness of the stitches I saw. Tapestry and cross-stitch both fascinated me and I would gaze for hours on wall-hangings in museums, taking in the intricate detail which I was unable to reproduce in any of the kits I tried! If you’re interested, Pat Harris & Ralph Fletcher from church are exhibiting their cross-stitch, hardanger and tapestries and these are beautiful works to see.
Just as God is described as a potter and builder, so too He is a weaver and embroiderer. He takes different colours, different strands, and weaves them into the fabric of our lives. When viewed from our limited earthly perspective, the picture looks like the ‘wrong’ side of an embroidered piece, with tangled threads, hastily-tied knots and lumpy, bumpy sewing! But God is not working from the limited perspective we have. He is working out eternal purposes. He is shaping us for eternity. The work isn’t finished yet, and the picture can’t yet be fully comprehended. But we should not be discouraged, for He is infinitely patient and doesn’t give up on us!