The Tapestry of Life

If you know the Lord, you may not see it now, but all the things that happen in your life are like works on a tapestry that you only see from the underside. God sees the right side from up above where he is weaving people, events and circumstances together. Remember, all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28) A few stitches at a time, it might not make sense, but over time, you will see how those stitches fit with the larger pattern. You will see how relationships, jobs, locations and other circumstances were meant to prepare you for something that was obviously of God—something that only you would be uniquely prepared to do.

It’s a fact that amazed Joseph. His tapestry was dramatic—starting with brothers who had jealous, murderous hatred for him. But they were even bigger bozos than that. They decided they could make money off of him by selling him as a slave. Isn’t that a form of human trafficking? He ended up separated from all that was familiar and living in a foreign land. The stitches of his tapestry must have looked especially ugly at that time. But Joseph found grace in his Egyptian master’s eyes, and he put Joseph in charge of his house. The weave didn’t look so bad. But ah. His master’s wife unjustly accused him of taking advantage of her, and Joseph was thrown in prison. Once again, bummer, and what an ugly weaving from the underside. He sat in that jail for two years, and though he found grace in the jail-keeper’s eyes and was put in charge of things, it was little consolation. What he didn’t realize was that being in prison put him in touch with someone of influence, though the guy wasn’t influential at the moment. He was a fellow prisoner—Pharoh’s former  butler. In rubbing shoulder’s, Joseph was able to do butler-man a favor and interpret a dream he had. The dream indicated he would be back in favor with the Pharoah. It provided hope for the butler, but nothing for Joseph. He asked his new friend for a favor… to mention him to Pharoah when he got out of jail. Maybe Pharoah would let Joseph out too. It was a promise unkept. And Joseph plodded along in prison with a senseless life tapestry. But alas, Pharoah had a dream that needed to be interpreted, and his butler suddenly remembered his gifted prison friend.

Here the tapestry started to look better from the underside as pieces started to fit into place. Joseph was called out of prison, and he interpreted Pharoah’s dream. There would be seven years of plentiful harvest in the land, followed by seven years of famine. Joseph had some advice to go with the dream. Put someone in charge of storing up food during the plentiful years in preparation for the famine. Pharoah himself decided Joseph should be just the man. Can you see? He was the right person in the right place at the right time with the right vision, words and talents. He was put in charge and became second only to Pharoah.

Did Joseph put it all together like that? Yes he did. We can tell by the words he spoke to his brothers when they came to the land during the famine to get food from the man in charge—Joseph—whom they didn’t recognize.

Of interest, his brothers had just bowed down to him, as Joseph had dreamed would happen years earlier. Over time, Joseph revealed to his brothers who he—the leader in Egypt—really was. While they stood stunned, probably unable to process anything he said after that, Joseph blurted out his summary of his life tapestry: And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. (Gen. 45:7-8)

I don’t think his brothers quite caught that. Maybe they didn’t even hear it. Because later, after Jacob their father died, who had loved Joseph more than them, they were afraid that now Joseph was going to “take it out on them.”

But no. Again, Joseph had processed his life and purpose. There was no revenge in him. No ill will. He saw God’s sovereignty, not their severity. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. (Gen. 50:19-21)

Proper perspective will deliver you from bitterness and depression, just like it did Joseph. He was faithful throughout his life, a pliable vessel in God’s hand. He didn’t rebel against the tapestry God was weaving, and neither should you.