A Puzzle Worth Completing

"The Garden of Eden" by Lucas Cranach der Ältere, a 16th century German depiction of Eden.

Every newborn has their own life's puzzle to assemble.  In the beginning, they have parents, teachers and other family members to assist.  The individual puzzle pieces can only fit one way.  Each puzzle is part of a quilt hand-stitched by the generations who came before us. 

I love being a part of this quilt and I love the people I'm connected to.  There were times in my life when I doubted my ability to complete my puzzle.  The Holy Spirit picked up the phone the moment I speed dialed and inspired me to slow down.  In my rush to figure life out, I was missing out on important clues -- some revealed by reviewing parts of the puzzle already pieced together, and others by spending more time with those who consider themselves misfits.

Here are some reasons why I believe your puzzle is worth completing:

1. God creates perfectly.  Those jagged edges in the puzzle pieces have a purpose.  They function as tendons and ligaments, connecting muscle to bone or bone to bone.  One missing piece causes problems for the entire body.
2. When connections are made in your own puzzle, you begin to see a picture of the world as God created it. 
3. Any thoughts you have of not belonging to the puzzle do not come from God.
4. If you trust God to show you where you perfectly fit into His masterpiece, He will.
5. Every new day is a brand new opportunity to find more connections, to seek out lost pieces and to appreciate all that God reveals to you.

When the last piece of the puzzle is in place, you will see a complete picture of the original Garden of Eden and you will finally see the One who created it all.  Can you see yourself in this picture?