Well it has been some time since I wrote a blog post. I apologize! I could make up an excuse but there is no need for that. I just have not been very motivated to write these last few months, just been busy living.
However today I was inspired! Motivated and driven to write. I sat at my kitchen table with worship music on, a fresh cup of coffee, worship music on, a blank page in my journal and a ready heart to receive a download from my creator. The one who made me and knows me better than I know myself. He knows what I need, he knows what it takes and all I needed to do was show up and receive from him.
Of course, as he always does he showed up too and he gave me a vision, a metaphor to help me understand what he was doing in my life right now. However this metaphor, this idea was not one I was familiar with and so it made me laugh (which He also knows I need to do from time to time).
God showed me a knitting needle, filled with rows and rows of stitches. Tight, neat, perfect stitches meshing together the wool in long rows and rows of wool.
Now I am not a knitter, I tried to knit in my younger days for a little while but I never had the patience to finish or even follow the patterns to actually make something of use. However my grandmother was a knitter. She used to make all sorts of wonderful things from scarves and hats to baby clothes and toys. I remember sitting and watching her knit of a night time as she watched TV and I was in awe of her patience and speed as she threw those stitches together on that needle.
So as I reflected on knitting, I asked the lord what he was trying to tell me with this image. He explained, when the knitter creates something he has to establish a strong first few rows as the base to continue the rest of the item. Those first rows are crucial, they have to be tight and strong so that all the other stitches don’t fall off and have somewhere to bond to. He explained that my life is like a scarf that he is knitting. He has to create a strong base, the first rows have to be perfect in order for all the other rows to attach and bond to so the finished product can stand up to what it has been designed to be.
He also talked to me about patience (yes again!). It takes patience to knit, to create something from nothing. He said the knitter has seen the plan, they know what it is supposed to look like in the end and so they follow it waiting to see it take shape. However the onlooker they have not seen the plan, they only see rows and rows of stitches it looks like nothing for a long time, until finally it starts to take shape. He told me that I am like the onlooker looking at what He, the knitter is creating and not knowing what it is meant to be so thinking it is nothing.
It is not nothing, it is the beginning of something wonderful and it will be a beautifully elaborate piece of tapestry. Every stitch represents an experience, a lesson, a victory, a failure but all of it bonds together in my creators hands to make my life beautiful. So even though I can not see the shape it is taking just yet, I trust the one who has seen the plans. Knows the outcome and is working patiently and diligently to create that strong base where everything else will attach itself to.
Who would have thought, you could glean so much comfort from knitting? Maybe I should try to take it up again, or maybe I should just leave that up to God! 🙂