Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me – a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 1:13 (NLT)
My name is BearyAnn and I am pattern hoarder. There, I said it.
I have pattern books, flyers, pages and leaflets. My craft room has book shelves filled with them. I have thousands of digital patterns saved. because ‘one day’ I will want to make it.
I love patterns! They are inspiring, they get me into a creative frame of mind and they build up because I don’t follow through. If I never obtained another pattern and crafted only from what I have, I would not live long enough to complete a small fraction of them.
Having a pattern no more creates the item than paying for a gym membership gets me into shape without attending. Or maybe like ‘sitting in a church doesn’t make me a Christian’.
No matter how you look at it, these patterns are of no value until I apply them to yarn and hook or needle.
Scripture tells us to ‘hold on to the pattern’ learned about our faith. But like my multitude of knit/crochet patterns, it must be applied. That is what he means by ‘hold on to’; he is telling us to make this teaching a part of your life. The pattern offered up is shaped by ‘the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.’
How does that pattern show up in your life? Are the stitches in order? How is the tension of your stitched pattern? Does it reflect the faith and love you have of Christ ? What will you do to complete and display that pattern?