The Quilt

          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 showed the pattern of our life.

       

        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 everyday life. I saw the pain and difficulties that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

       

        I glanced around me. Not everyone had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, some other quilts were thick tapestries filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly success.

        I gazed upon the contrast of my own threadbare life. My angel was sewing these 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 earthly achievement. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and

death, false accusations, vain imaginings, idle fancies, the constant battle with

my insistent self. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to be given 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. Most days were lived with continual pleas for assistance.

       

        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. As I looked upon the tapestry before me, light

flooded the many holes, creating an image:  the Face of God.

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 the light of

God to shine through.

“Set before thine eyes God's unerring Balance and, as one standing in His

Presence, weigh in that Balance thine actions every day, every moment of thy life. Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble.”

                        Bahá'u'lláh

                        Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p.236

“Behold how the sun shines upon all creation, but only surfaces that are pure

and polished can reflect its glory and light. The darkened soul has no portion of the revelation of the glorious effulgence of reality; and the soil of self, unable to take advantage of that light, does not produce growth.”

`Abdu'l-Bahá

                        The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 148

“O Lord my God! Assist Thy loved ones to be firm in Thy Faith, to walk in Thy ways, to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Give them Thy grace to withstand the onslaught of self and passion, to follow the light of divine guidance.”

`Abdu'l-Bahá