Entering the Throne Room with a Garment of Praise

The Process of Making Worship Flags

“So, if you’re going to make a flag for someone, do you have to spend a lot of time with them first?” she asked.  I wasn’t prepared with an answer. After all, to that point I’d only made flags for myself and given some as gifts to friends.

“Let’s see how the next few days go, and I’ll let you know if I know what your flag should look like.”  I said. That’s what we did. I had some mutual friends and acquaintances weigh in on what they thought this flag should look like, but that wasn’t how God had arranged the creative process in the past so I continued to wait for the Holy Spirit to reveal what this flag should look like.

It came in pieces.  “It’s white.” So I asked her if she had any particular affinity for my all white flag.  “I trust you; God will use your prophetic gift to make the right one,” she answered. I took that as code for, “No, not really.”  

One friend told me that the rainbow fabric on one of my flags stood out to her, but I knew this wasn’t the flag to be made.  My husband said, “Well maybe it’s supposed to have a rainbow ribbon on it.” I actually had a visceral reaction to that in my spirit and my physical body, so I knew that wasn’t right either.

 

Hearing God is not always easy.

I started to be frustrated in the confusion of what this flag was to look like and what it would be named.  Finally, the Spirit shared, “It’s three panels, not two; one is white, one is rainbow, and one is teal. This will be called ‘Throne Room’ and it will have ribbons and jewelry.”  

“Jewelry, I wonder how I’m going to do that?” I remember thinking.

I set about cutting and laying out the panels on the flag.  I usually put any white panel on the front, but this time it wasn’t right and I was restless in my spirit every time I attempted to lay it out that way.  It didn’t seem right when I moved it to the back panel either. (I was starting to feel a little like Goldie Locks) Sometimes it takes me longer than it should to clue in.  Of course by now, you’ve probably already concluded correctly that it was to be the middle panel. I think the reason for this was because it made the top and bottom panels more vibrant which of course would emulate God in His Throne Room.

Next, I needed to select the ribbons and jewelry.  Ever gone to a craft store and just stood in front of the options for what seems like hours on end?  That would describe this trip. The jewelry portion took the most time. I finally felt at peace with selecting a cross and 2 decorative skeleton keys.  Great, on to the ribbon aisle!

After spending so much time selecting the jewelry pieces for the flag, I was pretty sure I knew what ribbons would accompany that.   So I pick up a spool of teal satin ribbon, a spool of gold metallic ribbon, and one of my favorites a spool of white iridescent ribbon.  Then I heard God say, “I know you like that one and it’s really pretty, but that’s not the one for this flag. Put it back.” Oh man! I really like the sparklies so putting it back was hard, but as I was putting it back I saw a ribbon that was imprinted with gold letters and said, “Faith, Hope, and Love.”  That was the ribbon that was to be used instead.

Take Care to Listen

Taking great care to listen to God in the process and truly craft THE FLAG that His child is supposed to have creates an added layer to their worship instrument that they will present to the Father.

After assembling the flag, I showed it to a mutual friend.  She marveled over the little touches that God had me include.  The jewelry was so “her” and the ribbon….oh, the ribbon. “How did you know to use that ribbon with ‘Faith, Hope, and Love’ on it?”  She went on to tell me the story of why that ribbon was so personally significant for the intended recipient of the flag.

I shipped the flag without sharing what it looked like with the individual that had commissioned it because I wanted it to have the full impact of joy and surprise upon its arrival.  She called me after receiving it and was overwhelmed. “It’s like you were standing in my living room and looking at the colors I use to decorate. How did you know?”

I didn’t know.   God knew. God directed the process.  My part in this is to listen and assemble the flag.  It reminds me of the instructions God gave for the ark, tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, temple, anointing oil, etc.  While I pray over each flag constructed, when I am making a piece for someone in particular, I pray over them, too. The final product is to be what He desires, as all of this is for Him and His glory.