"The Puzzle of Our Lives"

"The Puzzle Of Our Lives"

     

     I am currently attempting to solve a jigsaw puzzle.  It depicts a nice scene of a cottage in the woods, or at least the cover portrait offers that view.  Presently, the actual puzzle looks like a half finished border, along with 270 differently shaped pieces of cardboard imprinted with a wide variety of colors and features.  I spend on average about 5 minutes a day on the project, so I suspect that at some point in the 21st century, the puzzle on the table will match the picture on the box.  Maybe.

    No uncertainty, however, characterizes the puzzle of our lives as God somehow coordinates every aspect of our experience into His eternal purpose in Christ.  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  I find this one of the most astonishing truths about our Heavenly Father.  How does He possibly fit together all things in one person's life for His glory and the individual's benefit?  This alone would be wondrous beyond imagining.   That the Lord perfectly coordinates all things in the lives of millions and billions, well, I don't even try to imagine that.  I just bow my heart, and frequently my knees to acknowledge His indescribable wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and minute involvement in His creation.

    I also find find a great measure (an immeasurable measure, actually) of assurance in this truth of the Great Coordinator's working of all things together for good in the lives of those who love Him.  Like the present condition of my puzzle, a lot of things can seem really ill-fitting and disjointed as we look at the unfinished project.  How will this fit?  Why did that happen?  Can the Lord really effect good from the disappointments, heartaches, and even heartbreaks of our lives?  He can, and will.  "His way is perfect" declared David (II Samuel 22:31).  This includes coordination of all things that happen in creation, first, for the eternal purpose of glorifying His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and then for the benefit of all who know, love, trust, and devote themselves to Him.  Our Father cannot fail.  He cannot leave one piece of the puzzle of your life and mine out of the finished product of conforming us to the image of the Lord Jesus (the "good" to which Romans 8:28 refers, as Romans 8:29 affirms).

    I don't know if I will finish my puzzle.  I am determined to do so, but time, inclination, and impatience might scrap the project.  Hope not, but it could happen.  Conversely, nothing can hinder the living and true God from fulfilling His eternal purpose in Christ.  Let us apply this to our particular lives, taking the comfort, encouragement, and joy such Truth elicits.  "All things together for good" - the good of our spiritual and moral conformity to the Lord Jesus.  This puzzle, presently composed of untold trillions of human details, will be finished in perfection.  The Great Coordinator presently works to put every piece into its place…

"God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

(Ephesians 1:3; 11)

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

(I John 3:2)

Weekly Memory Verse

     Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.

(Hebrews 10:23)