“For thou didst form my inward parts;
Thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
God knits, just like Mom.
The 139th Psalm is one of my very favorites. It is comforting to know that the great and powerful Creator of the universe knows me, even me. No matter where I go, even in the darkest places, God is there with me.
But what I really like about the 139th Psalm of the motherly image of a God who knits.
When Mom wasn’t cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, tending after her children, attending school or church functions, or busy with the many other household tasks, she was knitting. Knitting was her idle pastime. She knitted in the car, in waiting rooms, and knitted while she watched television. If she had a few moments between tasks, she’d knit a few rows.
Mom’s love for her four children is like God’s love described by the Psalmist; no matter how secretive we thought we were, Mom knew what we were up to. There was no fooling her; the good news is that Mom and God love us anyway.
Recently, I was re-organizing my closet and I found that after a half year on Weight Watchers, I can again wear my favorite sweater knit by Mom. It is a heavy argyle pattern with suede patches on the elbows. It is a tangible indication of the motherly love with which it was knit. And inside the collar is sewn her label, “Taylor-Made.” It is comfortable.
Speaking of comfort, I am not uncomfortable with the image of God as Father; but I think we miss something if we limit our understanding of God. Bring Many Names, a hymn written by Brian Wren, which is in our United Methodist hymnal supplement, The Faith We Sing, addresses this. Check out the second verse:
“Strong mother God, working night and day,
planning all the wonders of creation,
setting each equation, genius at play,
Hail and Hosanna, strong mother God.”
I am thankful for a knitting God and a knitting Mom, both of whom comfort their loved ones.
Jeff Taylor
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