REMNANTS AND TAPESTRIES

I Was Just Thinking About - - - 

Two of my daughters have skills in sewing and quilting. They have an uncanny ability of seeing bits and pieces (remnants) of cloth and visualizing their use in a design or pattern for a quilt. The word “remnant” is a noun that has a basic meaning: “a small part; a fragment or scrap; a small unsold or unused piece of cloth, or lace as at the end of a bolt…” That which others would discard as a waste or rag, a quilter sees as something of use and value. One of my daughters absconded with some of my neckties because she had a plan in mind where they would be useful. It caused me to think of some family members of another generation. My wife had an Aunt and two cousins who did quilting as part of a church group. When the last cousin died, instead of flowers being purchased and placed around the coffin, various quilts which she had sewn in the church group were artistically draped on the floral pedestals. It was very attractive and impressive, as well as serving as a testimonial of her skill and church involvement.

The artistic capability of people is something that continually amazes me. Some of our Grandchildren are developing artistic skills. My father, brother and sister possessed these same skills whereas I do well to sketch recognizable stick characters. Everyone should have some degree of appreciation for art in its various forms - painting, pencil sketching, tapestries, Mosaics or quilting. We attended a wedding in a church where there was a dramatic Mosaic at the front of the Church. It was so cleverly done that it appeared to be three-dimensional. It was appropriately lighted and portrayed a representation of Jesus Christ, suspended, with a shepherd’s crook in his hand and His arms outstretched. In the lower foreground were sheep and lambs. In the upper background was a cross. The interpretation is in the eye of the beholder but there can be no doubt of at least the following: (1) Jesus Christ literally came to earth; (2) He came to seek and to save the straying sheep and lambs; and (3) He would die on that cross to redeem and cleanse His gathered sheep/lambs from all of their sins.

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines remnant as: “Leftovers or remainders, whether of daily food…or people who survive a major disaster or captivity…Sociologically the remnant could be described variously as refugees, a community subgroup, or a sect.” For this Blog, let us focus on just two Biblical illustrations or lessons. The first pertains to the Jews who came out of exile in the day of Ezra and Nehemiah. In Ezra 9:8-9 (ESV), “But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.” Two of the significant words are remnant and reviving! It reminds me of the words in Psalm 85:6-7, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” This should be a part of our hope and confidence in the Lord.

The second illustration or lesson also has focus on the Jews and Paul’s burden for them. We find this concern expressed in Romans 11:1-5, (ESV), “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” This remnant chosen by grace is part of God’s Tapestry, meticulously sewn together, as he takes a remnant people from every tribe, tongue, nation and group and fashions them into the image of His Son. That Tapestry represents the Invisible Church where Jesus Christ is The Head and the place where He is preeminent in everything. May you be part of that remnant chosen by grace. Consider these things with me!