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Thursday, June 7, 2007

Pieces of the Bigger Picture

Several weeks ago, my daughter and her family went with my husband and I to visit his mom and dad. They live about three hours away and they hadn't seen the grand children in a long time.

Mom has severe arthritis and can't do much. She sleeps downstairs and recently had a bathroom put in on the first floor so she didn't have to struggle to climb the stairs. She tries to keep things handy where she can reach them without too much trouble so things have a tendancy to get piled up in the corners and under tables.

The baby was only 11 months old at the time of the visit and had just started walking. As he toddled through the house, he grabbed ahold of a piece of cardboard lying on a card table. Mom had been putting together jigsaw puzzles there and had one partially completed. She used the cardboard to hold the spare pieces while she concentrated on certain areas of the puzzle.

Of course the cardboard tipped, sending all the pieces flying. We picked up as many as we could find among her bags of sewing notions and fabric pieces stacked around the table. Mom called later to tell us she had found a few more pieces, but there were about 5 that were hopelessly lost. She wasn't angry, but made a point to tell us the pieces were gone.

This morning, God reminded of the puzzle incident and gave me of the verse in Romans 8:28

"We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." (Amplified)

My life is a puzzle right now with changes God is bringing about in my life and church. He reminded me that He is putting all the pieces together - they all fit into His plan though I many not be able to see the finished picture yet, He is in control, even when it feels like all the pieces are spilling onto the floor. Unlike the lost pieces of Mom's puzzle, He knows where each piece is and how it fits into His bigger picture.

Help me to trust You and be obedient Lord, as You fit them together one by one.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great analogy. My life is always a puzzle, and God is adding the pieces. Just when I think I know the whole picture, it changes. Quite puzzling, but the adventure continues.
amanda