Small Pieces, Big Puzzle

Have you ever put together a monster puzzle that has a ga-zillion pieces and you think there's no way that this box of chaos will actually make the beautiful picture that's on the box? I think that's what life is like. We can see the hope of an end result, but we focus (and let's admit it...we obsess too) over the small pieces.

The fact is that each piece has a place. Each piece has a match and in some cases it has matches on every side. There are those edge pieces that will only fit with 2 or 3 other pieces with smooth edges on a side.

Then what if the unthinkable happens? What if you get to the end of the puzzle and there's a piece missing?! *gasp* It's nowhere to be found. It's been left out of the box. Does it mean that the puzzle is incomplete or could it be intentional? Here's what I mean by "intentional" - I love art and I think some of the best art contains hidden elements. Something that makes you hunt, wonder and imagine "what could be".

I think it's important to take life a section at a time. Let God help us with each piece of our puzzle. We know that if that piece has been cut by the Master's hand then there is a match for it somewhere along the way and if you get to what you think is the end of the road and all the pieces aren't there then ask if it's intentional. There may be something that can ONLY be filled and revealed by the hand of God and who would want to try to make some other piece fit that would take that place.

What part of your life's puzzle are you and God working on right now? Trust Him. It may seem like a box of ga-zillion little pieces, but God sees the big picture. He sees the beauty. He sees His Son in you.

To Build or Not To Build

I wrote this while still in Austin, but never posted it!

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Austin (one of my favorite places in the world) watching yet another new building going up in the city. There are people on every level of this 10 story building walking around doing various jobs. It's quite a site to behold. However, as I'm watching all of this motion and industriousness take place I notice that the view of the river is greatly diminished by the addition of the building. I can only see a small part of the river. What little I can see is gorgeous as it's glimmering in the sunlight. It got me to thinking...

How often do we get so busy building up "things" and allow others to help us build it up and all the while we are blocking out our Life Source. Obviously there are things that have to be built; we must work and be industrious for the Kingdom of God. We have to take care of our family. However, we shouldn't do this at the expense of losing our vision. The river was still there, i.e. God doesn't leave us, but He does give us a choice of how we spend our time and resources. It's up to us to use them wisely.

Lord, show me where I've built things up and blocked the vision You gave me. Give me the courage to go where You want me to go and do the things You are calling me to. Forgive me for building anything up in front of You. In Jesus' name, Amen.