Stitching Together a Remnant

My mom was an avid sewer. I recall going to the fabric store with her and impatiently sitting as she looked at the remnants of fabric leftover from the large bolts of cloth. They were usually cheaper because they were leftovers, unusual lengths that made them harder to sell. That is often how we think of a remnant, a leftover with limited use.

But God has a different perspective on a remnant. When it comes to testing faith in God, a remnant is what is left after others have fallen away. These are the people who have been put through the fire of trials and yet held on to their faith and trust in God. Remnants are steadfast believers in God, his faithful no matter what.

The concept of a remnant plays out repeatedly in the Bible. In the Old Testament it is a purification of Israel to a core of those who obey God’s commands and seek to follow Him. In the New Testament, we see scripture that talks about the testing of our faith: “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved (Mark 13:13, NASB).”

God often uses a remnant of His faithful to create something new. My mom would purchase the remnants of material and sew them together into new garments. There may be times you feel discarded, but your faithfulness to God will build you into something new.

The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”’ Isaiah 37:31