Living on the Knotty Side

"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." 1 Corinthians 13:12

As a little girl, there is a vivid memory I have of sitting at my mother's feet playing while she stitched away on her needlepoint.  Looking up, I saw a jumble of thread in knots that didn't look like much of anything other than a mess.  The hunks of thread were all different colors that didn't seem to go together at all.  It wasn't even close to pretty in any way.

Then spying my glance, my sweet mother would stop stitching for a moment and turn to show me the other side.  My jaw would drop seeing the beautiful design in needlepoint, each stitch perfectly placed on the other side.  It was just a brief peek and then she was back to work, stitching away, and all I could see was the knotty side again.

The difference was that now I had seen a glimpse of the other side.  The knotty side didn't fool me anymore.  I knew Mommy was making something spectacular.

The Christian life is like that.  God, in His kindness, goodness, and love gives us glimpses of what He's up to and all that's on the other side.  

And it is truly magnificent.

We shouldn't be fooled by what we see here on the knotty side.  Our Heavenly Father is busy creating a masterpiece.

"Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

Have you had a peek at the other side?

Goodnight, Runners.