Warp and Weft

The phrase “warp and weft” kept coming up one night as I went to bed.  Everything was feeling so uncertain, so insecure – from my parents’ health to the pandemic situation to figuring out my role at work.  Oh, Lord!  What am I to do?  How would I do it?  “Warp and weft.”

The next morning as I sat with God in silence, the phrase jumped back.  I googled it.  To my surprise (relief) - “warp” and “weft” are actual words that actually go together - words related to weaving.   Unless weaving strips of paper for a Valentine’s heart in preschool counts, I knew nothing about this.

Turns out, “warp” threads are the ones that run vertically (up and down), attached to the weaving loom, while “weft” threads are the ones horizontally interwoven (side to side).

Warp threads must be strong.  Not only are they stretched in tension between the loom to form the foundation, but weft threads rub against it as they are woven over and under, over and under.  Warp threads tend to be nothing to look at - sturdy, yet fading unnoticed into the background.

Weft threads, on the other hand, can be more delicate since they rely on the strength of the warp threads that they are woven through.  They can be diverse in colour, texture, and material.  Each provides a unique element to the beauty of the whole.

These questions came to me – go ahead and pause to reflect on them too!

• On what / whom is my life woven around?  Are they strong enough to hold the tension and the ups and downs of this life?
• What is my unique colour, texture, material?  How can these qualities contribute to the whole?

Jesus – stretched upon a wooden frame, humbly yet mightily held the tension of the world’s sorrow.  “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

We are fragile threads – yet chosen, woven together with our distinct qualities.  In this life, we may wonder why he has chosen us.  We may feel friction, have ups and downs, experience discomfort rubbing shoulders with others.  But as long as we allow ourselves to be woven around Christ, He holds us together.  And He has a plan.  One more glorious than we can see.

Our life isn’t about doing things right.  It’s about being right with God.  Do we allow the hands of the Master Weaver tenderly guide us through the hills and valleys of this life, centering us around the strength of Christ, to create an eternal masterpiece?  Do we live into our unique createdness, with the joy and expectancy as one chosen as our true self?  Warp and weft.