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Listen while you read: "Joy To The World"1
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Whew, finally, the last piece! I just finished a puzzle that was started at Thanksgiving during the five days while my kids were here. We all worked on it, but I will have to admit they did the hard parts that didn't make sense, like the background that was all one colour. That's what separated the patient from the impatient. Only a puzzle lover could understand the jubilation and explosion of emotions of finding just the right piece!
As I read Scripture about the birth of Jesus, I see pieces of another puzzle coming together. The Bible is a giant puzzle that fits perfectly together, if we have the patience to gather its pieces. As I started through Matthew, I highlighted each reference from the Old Testament.
Matthew 1:22-23 – All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" — which means, "God with us." (NIV)
Matthew 2:5-6 – "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" (NIV)
Just as I pick up the right piece of my puzzle and put it into the perfect place, prophecy from the Old Testament fits perfectly into the Christmas story. Amazing, isn't it! I get so excited as these perfectly shaped pieces of the perfect plan fit together. We tend to forget that the beautiful story we think about at Christmastime or read on Christmas Eve was not an isolated event, but it was that vital piece of the puzzle that brought redemption to us all.
Is the puzzle finished yet? No, it will be finished at the return of Christ, and then, we will fully appreciate the beautiful plan that God set into motion. The puzzle will be complete, and we will see fully things that we see only in part for now. Praise His holy name!
In the same way that God has a great plan for the world, He also has a plan for you and me! There will be times when the pieces of our lives seem not to fit together, when parts of the puzzle don't make sense, but rest assured; there is a plan!
Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)
That means that even though our puzzle is not coming together right now, it will eventually, because God is the master puzzle lover, and He rejoices as each part of the plan He has for you comes together. God has all the pieces. Trust Him to show you His plan day by day.
Whew! I feel another thousand-piece puzzle in my near future. How about you?
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for fitting together all the pieces of Your wonderful plan for our lives. Amen.
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About the author:
Jeanie Nihiser <jnihiserj@gmail.com>
Geneseo, New York, USA
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Thanks Jeanie, blessings.
A wonderful reminder, Jeanie.
Great analogy – one puzzle lover to another!!
Pray and listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, Jeannie. So enjoyable to read your devotionals.
Jeanie,
Interesting pithy insight that the Bible is like a puzzle.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. To God be the glory! Blessings.
Thank you for writing this devotional.
Just what I needed — another puzzle piece.
Merry Christmas to all.
Blessings.
Thank you, Jeanie. Just yesterday, in our ladies Bible study, one of the ladies said she didn’t know much about the Old Testament. We hastened to assure her that she needed to get acquainted with it, as it’s all about Jesus. “Puzzle” is a good analogy for it.
Jeanie, you wrote a wonderful devotional today! I’m longing to see God’s completed perfected plan. We live amidst a world of broken jumbled mixed-up puzzle pieces. God is patiently restoring, healing, putting pieces together, and moving until, just at the right time, our eternal King will return.
Come quickly!
Good morning, Jeanie,
It is great you had your family visit for Thanksgiving. I am a puzzler and definitely relate to your message of how the Old Testament fits into the coming of Jesus. We can all look forward to when God’s puzzle is complete and the HOPE we have from the birth of Jesus. Thanks for sharing your ideas about a puzzle. Blessings.
Wow Jeanie you have truly written a terrific analogy of those puzzle pieces and the plans the Lord puts together for us. Daily life can sure be an assembly of different happenings just like numerous puzzle pieces that have to be put together and we need be thankful that our loving Lord stands with us and guides us through each day.
Blessings for your special and thoughtful writing.
Blessings Jeanie,
This was an encouraging read this morning, thank you.
I can appreciate the ‘last piece’ joy as I do puzzles also.
It is amazing how the Old Testament tells of things that years later become reality.
I pray the reality of Christ is realized more today then ever before!!
Merry Christmas.