I was acquitted in traffic court yesterday and my ticket dismissed! (Yeah!) It was because I had a good driving record. However, some day we will stand before God and be judged by Him – a much more frightening scenario. How is God going to judge us then? Here’s a great story given to me by my friend Brenda that describes what will happen when we walk close to the Lord.
As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.
Before each of us was lain our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles. An angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry of our life.
As my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares were. They were filled with big holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been very difficult; the challenges and temptations that it seemed I was faced with every day. I saw that some of the hardships I endured were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me and noticed that nobody else had such empty squares. Some had a tiny hole here and there. They had tapestries filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.
My angel then began sewing together the ragged pieces of cloth, threadbare and empty that were like binding air.
Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light and the scrutiny of truth. The others arose, each in turn, and held up their tapestries. Their lives had been so full. My angel looked on me and nodded for me to rise and come forward.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn’t had all the worldy achievements and success. I had love in my life and laughter, but there had also been trials of illness, false accusations and financial setbacks. These had taken me off course so that I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to just quit but I was able to muster up the strength to go on and begin again. Yes, I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking the Lord to guide me and to love the unlovable. And now I had to face the truth; my life was what it was and I had to accept it that way.
I rose and lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-inspired gasp filled the air of those around me. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.
Then, I looked at the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes creating the image of the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, “Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life: My hardships and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through until there was more of Me than there was of you.
My all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!
