Final December, to my delight, my husband purchased me a 3000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Rising up I beloved finishing puzzles however have by no means accomplished one with over 500 items. I began it a hundred percent constructive that I might end it inside per week and 7 months later, it’s nonetheless within the nook of our front room flooring (very neatly organised), awaiting its completion.
Now that I’m on trip, I’ve determined to take a couple of minutes every day to work on it. As I’m placing items collectively, I began interested by how our life so usually can replicate a jigsaw puzzle. There might be many issues occurring in our lives (totally different items that match into the larger image), and as we undergo them, we realise how they fall in place and contribute not simply to our personal story or image, however to the tales of these round us too.
God sees the entire image
On the quilt of each jigsaw puzzle field, is the finished image that the jigsaw items inside it, as soon as assembled, will type. We do not get to see the finished image of our lives and we do not know what’s going to occur within the subsequent 10 minutes or the following 10 years from now. We could have our plans and set targets for the issues we need to accomplish in just a few weeks or the following 5 years, however we do not know what’s going to occur.
The excellent news for us is that we serve a God who does. God transcends time, which implies he isn’t restricted by it; in actual fact, He is aware of the tip from the start of not simply my life or yours however the complete creation. All is in his palms!
“Keep in mind the previous issues, these of way back; I’m God, and there’s no different; I’m God, and there may be none like me. I make recognized the tip from the start, from historic instances, what continues to be to come back. I say, ‘My objective will stand, and I’ll do all that I please.'” (Isaiah chapter 46, verse 9-10)
Our God already is aware of what we’ll do, even earlier than we consider doing it. He searches our hearts and minds to find out our motives (Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 10), and even when He sees that our motives and needs won’t at all times line as much as His will, He nonetheless chooses us. Actually, scripture tells God that “He selected us in him earlier than the creation of the world” (Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4). Which means He selected us regardless of our shortcomings! What a humbling reality to behold!
All items are necessary
The primary day I obtained the puzzle, I laid out the items on the ground and began looking for the borders in order that I can have a body to work with. Once I was completed, I realised that a few of the items had been caught on my pores and skin and my garments. Days later, we might discover puzzle items within the bed room, the sofa and even on the patio. My husband as soon as commented that it will be disappointing for me to get to the tip and realise that just a few items had been lacking.
In life, all our experiences – the great, the dangerous and the ugly– come collectively to type a stupendous image. So usually we would like solely the great issues in our life to be displayed, however our failures and disappointment are part of the general image, and they’re necessary too. They educate us resilience, endurance and perseverance, however way more than that, they educate us to belief within the greater being, our Sovereign and Almighty God, greater than ourselves.
“Belief within the Lord with all of your coronary heart and lean not by yourself understanding; in all of your methods undergo him, and he’ll make your paths straight.” (Proverbs chapter 3, verses 5-6)
As Christians, we’ll typically fall quick and sin in opposition to our holy God. There are occasions when I’ve sinned and will need to conceal it from others, sure, but additionally from God. Fortunately, God’s Spirit inside me at all times exhibits me the folly of my methods and ushers me to repentance. Our sins, even the darkest and most repulsive, type part of the image too as a result of they level to the goodness, mercy and forgiveness of God.
Is not it wonderful that God can take our sins and use them for His glory? By His grace and thru His forgiveness, we not solely expertise for ourselves His unmerited favour and pardon, however we additionally get the chance to testify to others of His goodness.
It really works out in the long run
“And we all know that in all issues God works for the great of those that love him, who’ve been referred to as in response to his objective.” (Romans chapter 8, verse 28)
God already is aware of what’s going to occur in our lives and can use all our experiences, even the dangerous ones for our good. I like the best way Sinclair Ferguson, the Scottish theologian places it. He mentioned, “There’s nothing that takes our God abruptly; there may be nothing that takes place outdoors of His superintendence and watch-care; and there may be nothing that may ever occur that may distort or destroy His everlasting functions for His folks–nothing in anyway!”
Allow us to be assured that the God who loves us and calls us by identify, the one who sees the larger image will maintain us as He orders our steps. And allow us to be totally assured, that come what could, He’ll work all the things out for our good.
