If we thought of the Trinity as a quilt group, it could transform our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Take my own experience as an example: I used to see God as an angry judge. Now I see God as the ultimate quilt designer who invites and inspires us to contribute ideas, fabrics, threads, and efforts to God’s work in the world.
Once I saw Jesus as the college student who could get us all into trouble – “good trouble,” as the late John Lewis would say. Now I see Jesus as one who comes to our tattered quilt of existence to introduce us to new materials, offering fabrics, more interesting patterns, and vibrant colors, all stitched together with stronger threads than any we’ve had before.
The Holy Spirit is a quilt group member, too. The Spirit is the one who comes to us with support, accompaniment, and information about the quilt shows that the Spirit calls us to enter. The Holy Spirit, an encourager, believes in our creative powers, even when we’re less sure of ourselves.
This message is excerpted from “The fabric of the Spirit” by Kristin Berkey-Abbott in the September/October 2021 Gather magazine.
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