Puzzled

Happy Sunday!

"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."(2 Timothy 3:16-17, Message).

My daughter Christina loves puzzles.  She can quietly enjoy hours of putting all the tiny pieces together.  What a sense of accomplishment she has when the pieces finally resemble the picture on the box.  One time a piece was missing.  For months she would sadly speak of the missing piece.  We pride ourselves on being very organized. So we couldn't even imagine what happened to the piece.  Blame that organizational gene on my mother, Vera B. Woods.  When she found the missing piece in her room under the bed behind a storage container, she rejoiced! 

I thought about this when reading this translation of the scripture above.  "Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."  Our lives are like puzzles.  Things happen, pieces get lost.  But God has a good plan for us.  He told us about it in the Word.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that."(Voice).  We may step away from the plan or puzzle for a while, but we can come back and finish it with God's Grace.

Don't procrastinate.  Don't be too hard on yourself either while you work on finding the missing pieces.  1 Peter 5:10 says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."(Amplified).

Love and prayers, Cynthia