The Puzzle

This period of time that my wife and I are going through right now, is not easy. Both my wife and I are 77 years old and my wife has advancing dementia, plus she is scheduled to have a hip replacement very shortly. She has severe mobility limitations due to her hip. Plus there is some concern with regard to the effects of the anesthetic hastening the advancement of dementia. And as if those concerns are not enough, there is also concerns of the heart, with regard to the spiritual status and welfare of some of our now grown up children and grandchildren. All of these things, individually and collectively, weigh on our hearts, so I do earnestly solicit your prayers.

Yet through all of this, all of this, God’s grace is abundant and I marvel at His provision, not only for myself and my wife, but also with those that we love and deeply care for. Many times, my own inadequacies are more than self evident, in my reactions to things where I am totally without understanding on how to deal with, or react to. Yet, situation by situation, I see God turn things around and bring peace where so shortly ago, there was confusion and bewilderment. In the difference of an hour, literally everything can be turned from bewilderment to peace. It’s hard to explain, but God does this, time and time again. In addition, the insight given into the beauty of love between two people, who are both imperfect, walking with God who is loving and Holy, is am amazing reality, that is both humbling and profound.

What follows, I share with you, in the hope that it provides answers to some of you who may have unanswered questions, like I often have.

This morning in prayer, as I was explaining to God how I don’t understand how He sometimes puts up with me, and I was attempting to tell Him how I felt inside, a picture formed in my mind of a puzzle that I am trying to put together.

My problem being, in trying to put the pieces together, I have no concept of what the whole picture will be. Sometimes I see small parts fit together and more frequently, I see parts that seem to have no pieces that will fit with one another. I’m thinking that the pieces that have no pieces that seem to fit with one another, are the unanswered questions, that seem to increase in number, as time marches on.

And even those little pieces that do fit together, don’t always seem to fit with the other little pieces that do fit together, so that even a part of the whole picture is formed. I’m thinking that the doctrines within God’s Holy Word, are those little pieces that do fit together, but that don’t always seem to mesh with other doctrines, because of our incomplete understanding.

And then it struck me that God knows the picture that is being put together and in reality, the picture that is being formed, is of Him in His completeness. I see the unanswered questions, those pieces that don’t seem to form part of the picture, yet God knows exactly where every little piece fits. And the picture of parts, those doctrines that don’t always seem to mesh with one another, can only be put together, by Him and most importantly, when we are in Him. And just in case there is a misunderstanding here, I’m NOT advocating abandoning God’s doctrines as declared within His Holy Word. They individually and collectively are all absolutely essential, without them the completed picture cannot be formed.

Our completion in God is realized only through His Son, Jesus the Christ. Jesus is the exact image of the Father. Now we know in part but when we are completed in Him, then we shall know as indeed we are now known by Him. And this puzzle that is in pieces before me, is on a blanket this is held together by God. All the pieces of this puzzle are on this blanket and all of us, individually and collectively, are part of that picture, because ultimately, as we are formed into Christ, we are formed into His likeness.

I don’t know if what I have just stated makes any sense to any of you, but to me, personally, it provided both peace and a sense of comprehension, about that which I do not understand, but yet partially understand.

And being one of His sheep, I’m just sharing!

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!