Monday, January 29, 2018

The Missing Piece of the Puzzle

It was a busy week so on this particular Friday night we just hung out together at home. We didn't want to watch TV or a movie (again), so I went to my everything cupboard (every mom has one of these, don't they?) and pulled out an unopened Star Wars puzzle. As I looked at this 300 piece puzzle, I pondered how I came to be in possession of this brain teaser as we are not Star Wars fans. But here we were. We were going to put this puzzle together. We started on Friday night; I ran out of steam after four pieces but the Little One had a method for solving puzzles, so she stuck it out a bit longer.

Saturday was a full day for me. As I left the house I looked at that incomplete puzzle and wondered if and when it would be completed. When I came home Saturday afternoon, the puzzle had taken shape - the border was completed, and the empty spaces inside were being filled in. It was more than fifty percent done and I was impressed. It turns out, that the puzzle drew the other family members in so that they felt compelled
to complete it.

By Saturday evening we were all making slow and steady progress. (I connected four more pieces!) The background noises of living went on as each person took turns doing their part to complete this puzzle. By 11:30 on Saturday night, we completed the puzzle and discovered that the unopened puzzle came with 299 pieces, not 300. We felt oddly dissatisfied, deflated and unsatisfied because we would not be able to fill in that last piece. We knew the shape, knew its color, knew the direction it should go in, but none of that mattered because that piece, that last piece, that piece that would have made our puzzle a completed masterpiece was missing.

There are many people who are missing a piece of the puzzle in their lives. They have formed borders - they think they know who they are. They have filled in a considerable amount of their empty spaces with relationships, jobs, trips, hobbies. Their empty spaces have also been filled with lies that diminish who they are, that makes them doubt themselves; that build walls that hinder their growth. But one important piece is missing. The piece that is shaped just for you, in the right direction; the last piece that would make you the masterpiece that you are supposed to be. That last Puzzle Piece is Jesus. He made you for a purpose, on purpose with purpose. He knows where He fits in your life and that He fits perfectly. He came so that you might have life and have it abundantly. You were not meant to go through this life missing that last piece of the puzzle.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:10,11

My puzzle piece in my Star Wars puzzle is missing, but yours in the form of Jesus is not. He's there, he's available and ready to fill that gap in your life. Won't you let Him?

--Nylse

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8 comments:

  1. Wow. I love so much how you connected the missing piece of the puzzle to Jesus. Beautiful post!

    P.S. I've been in the mood to do puzzles lately but haven't gone out to pick one up yet. But let me just say how frustrated I would be if the last piece was missing. They had one job, haha.

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  2. I love the puzzle analogy. We do take shape into who we are but Jesus is always the last piece to making us whole. Thank you for these words.

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  3. Last winter my hubs did a 1,000 piece puzzle and one piece was missing. Ruined the whole "picture." I actually cut a piece of cardboard and colored it to match. I had the same analogy in my head as you. You can substitute all kinds of things but only ONE fits the Jesus hole!!!

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  4. I'm with you on this puzzle thing, Andree! I don't have the patience for them (unlike my sibs) but you've inspired me to get one - and yes, a Star Wars one - next holiday when the kids are home. It's the human condition to try and fill in all our missing pieces. Praying God's mercy on my life and those I love to come to Jesus, all the time for all my missing spaces. (:

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  5. What a powerful message. Love this, Nylse. --- And, what in the world? Sorry for the missing piece. (And, just like a writer does, you found a lesson in it. Don't you love that about writing?! :) ) ((Hug))

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  6. What a challenging, monochromatic puzzle you took on! And then to have a missing piece!
    Sadly, we try all kinds of substitutes to fill our "missing pieces," when that God-shaped void was left for one purpose alone.
    Thanks for this lovely parable, Nylse!

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  7. Puzzles do have a way of drawing other in, don't they? Great analogy about Jesus. In fact, He really is the whole puzzle, isn't He!

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  8. What a perfect analogy Nylse! I love when God speaks to us through the everyday life experiences! I certainly don't want that most important piece of the puzzle missing from my life! Great Word! :)

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