Last night I spent some time at my loom. I hadn’t been able to get to the actual weaving before my surgery in February, but my loom had sat warped and ready for almost three months. I discovered yesterday that a warp thread or two are out of pattern. But, undressing that part was a serious undertaking, and I decided it wasn’t noticeable enough to worry about. (Can you find the errant warp threads?)
Although this weave has a warp thread (or two) out of place, in the end I will still weave it into something beautiful and useful.
At ABHMS’s “Space for Grace” conference a few weeks ago, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III shared a story in his sermon about the time a jazz pianist came to play and the piano presented to him had broken keys and was badly out of tune. Rev. Dr. Moss reminded us that even out of tune and with broken keys, God can make beautiful music out of our lives.
Perhaps you feel some disappointment in life – either for the things it didn’t give you or the mistakes you made with it. Maybe the “out of tune and with broken keys” feels all to real some days. I know it does for me at times. I mean, who wants to deal with cancer in their 40s?
The Apostle Paul reminded his readers that even in moments of profound pain or distance from God, even when we are unsure what the future holds for us, even when all we can articulate about our hopes and disappointments is a groan, even then God can and will work together all the parts of our lives into something good.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:26-28)
I know I’ve done my fair share of groaning in the past year as I’ve walked through cancer diagnosis and treatment, and at other times in my life when it felt like the mistakes and disappointments would take over the goodness. But I’ve also seen God take very painful seasons and bring beauty from them.
Today, my prayer for you is that you would trust that God can make something good and beautiful even out of life’s hard moments. This promise in Romans applies to all of us – for we are each one called according to God’s purpose.
Blessings,
Pastor Amy
