Coat of Many Colors

The Lord knows and meets my every need. A few weeks ago I blogged about my struggle to receive and really feel love. Thursday I arrived at Lakeview for my last opening retreat of the Charis 3 year Spiritual Direction program. This starts my final year in the program. It was great to be reunited with my class after our summer break. That night we were each presented with a prayer shawl that was made and prayed over specifically for each of us. There were many beautiful shawls laid out on the table, but one caught my eye and I was drawn to it as we worshiped together before receiving them. We came to the time in worship when they would be passed out and I waited to see which one I would be blessed with. The one I had connected with earlier was picked up and she called my name as she walked over and placed it in my lap. It was mine! It was a shawl of many colors and I was instantly reminded of my favorite Old Testament character Joseph and his coat of many colors. Joseph's dad made him this coat because of his great love for him and because he was good, faithful, and thoughtful. This coat of many colors was a sign of Jacob's favor to Joseph. I started  this post saying the Lord knows and meets my every need. Sometimes He meets my needs simply through my feeling and experiencing His presence within me. And sometimes He meets my needs in very tangible ways. This prayer shawl is a very tangible way that He is showing me how loved I am. Just as Jacob made the coat of many colors for Joseph because of his great love for him, God placed a vision for this particular shawl in someone's mind to reveal His great love for me. I am loved and favored by God. I will treasure my "coat of many colors" and be forever reminded of God's tangible proof that I am loved. As I wrap it around my shoulders, I will remember that I am wrapped in His great love for me. We are all wrapped in His great love for us with or without a "coat of many colors." But having one certainly doesn't hurt!

Isn't it lovely?