Quilt of Holes

Author Unknown

As I faced my Maker at the last  judgment...

I knelt before the Lord along with  all the other souls.

Before each of us laid  our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles;

an angel  sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into  a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took  each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.

They were filled with giant holes.

Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had  been difficult, the challenges and temptations

I was faced  with  in every  day life.

I saw hardships that I  endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced  around me. Nobody else  had such squares.

Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other  tapestries were filled with rich color and  the bright hues of  worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was  disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged  pieces of cloth  together, threadbare and empty, like binding  air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.

The  others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So  filled their lives had been. 

My angel looked upon me, and nodded for  me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I  hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.

I had love in my life, and  laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth,  and false accusations  that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many  times.

I often struggled with the  temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up  and begin again.

I spent  many nights on my knees in prayer, asking  for help and guidance  in my life.

I had often been held up to  ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the  Father in hopes that I would not

melt within my skin beneath the  judgmental gaze of those who unfairly  judged me.

And  now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to  accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the  combined squares of my life to the light.

An  awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others  who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon  the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an  image, the face of Christ.

Then our  Lord stood before me, with  warmth and love in His eyes.

He said, "Every time you gave  over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships and My  struggles.

Each point of light in your life is  when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was  more of Me than there was of you."

May all our  quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

"God determines who walks into your life..it's up  to you to decide who  you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."

When there is nothing left but God, that  is when you find out that God is all you need.