God’s Remnant

In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people. Isaiah 11:11 NIV
A good piece of fabric may be cut out of a used garment and retained in order to patch old clothing. Some people use several fabric remnants in order to create a quilt. And God does the same thing with His people. When disaster strikes and the whole may seem useless, He cuts away the fragments that can be reused. Then He combines the remnants to create something practical, artistic and beautiful.
In the Old Testament, the Nation of Israel was taken into captivity as a punishment for their disobedience. But God promised to protect those that continued to keep His commands. Through this I see that following God has never been about avoiding trouble, but about continuing to share the good news while you are in difficult circumstances. Maybe real faith never really takes hold until it is tested by disappointment and trials. And when the pain comes, we find out if we were faking it, or if we are God’s remnant.
God’s remnant people do not get a chance to see the whole tapestry. We can’t see the entirety of the Father’s patchwork. We can see just enough to trust God. Right now, all we can see is the backside of God’s quilt-work. We see the loose string and the various stitches that hold us together. But a day is coming when we will be able to see the other side. Eventually God will show us the whole of His beautiful handy-work. And my guess is that once we see the entirety of His work, we will say that the trouble was worth it.