The Hand Made Quilt

Psalm 139:13-14 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, And my soul knows it very well.” (NASB)

Have you ever had something you don’t like about yourself? I think most people do at one time or another. When I was young I was always the tallest girl in the class. This made me feel awkward because I was taller than most of the boys. Though I am not one to slouch, at that time I was tempted to scrunch my body so that I could blend in a little easier. The insecurities of youth can carry into adulthood if we are not careful. The only way to combat these lies of Satan is to slam them with the truth.

This past weekend Dad and I attended a funeral in Northern Michigan. Our good friend’s (Mrs. Valerie’s) mother passed away and we wanted to share with her in this difficult time. Upon entering the church we were met with many pictures showing the lifespan of this special woman who meant so much to many. As I looked around my eyes were drawn to the most beautiful quilt hanging on the north wall. This intricate piece of handwork was a project that Mrs. Plume had put together to commemorate a lifetime of interacting with God’s creation during many trips she and her husband had taken together.

I was immediately enraptured with the overall beauty of the quilt, but upon looking closer I noticed the fine detail that gave it meaning and nostalgic charm. Each quilt block represented a special memory from the Plumes’ wilderness trips. Every appliqué was sewn with tiny stitches causing each minute part of the design to pop out. I could only begin to imagine the hours that she put into this labor of love.

As I studied each block – the falling autumn leaves, the silky cornstalks, and winter pinecones, the bright cardinals, the enormous moose, and the woodland bears – Mrs. Valerie shared the stories that went with each square. More and more I admired the artist who created this amazing piece of work. If a talented woman like Mrs. Plume could make something so beautiful and meaningful, is it not reasonable to believe that what God makes is even more exquisite?

Psalm 139 praises our heavenly Father for His workmanship in creating each human being. While we were still in our mother’s womb, He formed our inward parts and wove us together with loving care over each detail. Nothing was hidden from Him as we developed in the secret places of our mother’s body. While we were unaware He skillfully built our frames and wrote our personal stories in His book.

He knows how tall each of us will be, the color of our skin, our temperaments, and even the number of hairs on our head. He understands all that we will experience, the difficulties we will face, and the joys we will share. He has appointed the day of our birth and the moment of our last breath. Not one detail of our lives is out of His control.

Though there may be something you wish were different about yourself, don’t let Satan trick you into believing his lies. God made you exactly the way He desired. His precious thoughts toward you are more than all the sand on the beach. You are exactly the way He wanted you to be in every tiny detail.So stand up a little straighter and give glory to God, for even more than a beautiful, handmade quilt, you are fearfully and wonderfully made!