I received a gorgeous jigsaw puzzle as a gift. The picture was an artsy map of Alaska, puzzelized into 1000 pieces. It looked really difficult—and I couldn’t wait to start it. The first step, of course, is to separate out and assemble all the edge pieces. However, when I had done that, I discovered that there were clearly a few pieces missing. I realized from the start that this was not just going to be an unfinished puzzle—it was UNFINISHABLE.
Our lives are like a puzzle—each day, a piece. Obviously, a piece ALONE is not a complete picture. Sure, some pieces have distinct markings that clearly and easily identify right where they fit into the grand scheme. But some pieces are so blurred, so dark, so nondescript. You turn them this way and that—it’s hard to imagine where they belong in the beautiful life “picture” that God has promised for us. Frankly, some pieces don’t look like they fit at all. “There must be a mistake. These pieces don’t go with MY puzzle.” And there are times when it appears that some pieces are missing altogether.
We often believe that God’s ultimate plan for us is a glorious picture that we will see completed step by step in THIS lifetime—where all our dreams come true and all our hopes are fulfilled. “Every one of God’s promises for me is beautiful! It’s ALL GOOD! MY future is bright!”
There’s truth in that declaration. On the other hand, though—for some of us—while the picture still lays incomplete and broken, it’s often difficult to comprehend the beauty of the whole. It seems impossible that it will EVER come together or make sense.
The puzzle seems unfinishable, but THAT is not so.
“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (Philippians 1:6 AMP)
Right now, our life picture may look like nothing more than a pile of pieces, and Jesus is the One holding the box. Only He can see the finished composition. Fact is: no matter how irregular a piece of the puzzle may seem to be, it will always interlock into God’s design some way—perfectly. Every piece. God’s plan and His purposes are always good, no matter what the individual pieces look like to us. He WILL solve the puzzle and complete His design—for each of us. God created humanity in His image and likeness, and He declared it to be “very good.” (i.e. beautiful.) When He created us, He made us WHOLE—and when He redeemed us, He made us COMPLETE.
“You have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (Colossians 2:10 BSB)
But, consider the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11. Not those heroes “who by faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises …” (v. 33), but the OTHERS. Those who—still BY FAITH—suffered “cruel mockings and scourgings, and imprisonment; who were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the sword; who wandered about destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy.” What about THEM?
“All of THESE had their merit attested because of their (faith). Nevertheless, they did not receive what had been promised, because God had planned something better that would involve US, so that only with us would they be brought to the goal.” (Hebrews 11:39-40 CJB)
The “others” who suffered and died without seeing the fulfillment of their faith—their victory could never be completed until it was connected to US. Their puzzle wasn’t finished until it was linked to YOU and ME. By their example, God uses US to finish the bigger picture of their faith.
“Wherefore … let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV)
There are situations in life that have left us holding not just “incomplete puzzles” but, as we feel, puzzles that are incompletABLE. I think of:
- Good people who died too young.
- Praying parents who lost young children.
- Young children who lost a parent.
- Couples separated by death on their honeymoon.
- Babies who died before they were even born.
- Disasters that struck when things were just starting to succeed.
- Storms that destroyed crops just as they had started to grow.
- Hope that was snatched away before one could even wrap their fingers around it.
- Darkness that fell long before sunset.
Jesus’ death was like an incomplete puzzle to those who loved Him—those who abandoned their lives to follow Him. The future had looked so bright, full of victory and hope! Disease would be eradicated! Food would no longer be scarce! Peace would reign! Their lives under the iron thumb of Rome would change dramatically when the shackles of tyranny were broken and they were FREE at last! Jesus was their long-awaited MESSIAH! Finally, their REDEEMER HAD COME!
They were just beginning to grasp it … and then it was over.
OR … so they thought. But, there was MORE to the story.
(Part 1 of 2)
