God Sees the Big Picture

Dear friends of mine, sequestered like the rest of us, found that putting a jigsaw puzzle together is a great way to make the most of this at-home time. They chose a 1,000 smaller-pieces puzzle. Far more challenging than 500-pieces like I usually choose! They started off all gung ho – displaying on FB when they completed the frame. I know how that feels as my family and I are puzzle fans also. Getting the frame completed gives the foundation for completing the rest.

It’s usually at Christmas that we’re all-in with getting a puzzle put together. It’s displayed on a table area or kitchen island. We can’t help ourselves – every time we walk past that area, we have to stop and find at least one piece. Such satisfaction comes finding that piece that opens the door for other pieces to pop in. And then the big ta-da – when someone gets to put in the last piece. Oh, the thrill of accomplishment!

But, not so, for my friends. The last piece was never found. She said: “Aargghh! We have one missing puzzle piece. How is that possible?!?” Her husband said: “We finally finished the puzzle, only to find there is a missing piece! 😖 Still enjoyed it enough that we have already ordered another.” Their frustration didn't stop them from carrying on.

And, so it is with us – we don’t let disappointments stop us! My friends had the box lid which showed the 1,000-piece puzzle – all completed. And, we want God to show us our lives: “Please, Lord, show me how this situation – this time of isolation – this time of fear – this time of worry and uncertainty – this time of disappointment – PLEASE show me how it’s going to turn out! I don’t want it to end up with missing pieces.” In real life and in puzzles, God works all things together for good -- but He has a perfect way, a perfect plan, and a perfect time, and He will not be rushed. He just asks us to trust Him.

The outside-of-the-box puzzle picture gives us hope for the finished product. But, it sure seems overwhelming when we first dump out all the pieces on the table. Similarly, we love the picture God presents in His Word of what we may become, what our future looks like, but often our patience gives way before the final picture is put together. God certainly wants us to try! So why don’t we? Let’s keep stretching and trusting and seeking Him Who has the BIG PICTURE already in action. Let’s let God’s grace keep helping us become the best-put-together puzzle we could ever be! We can trust God that He is working on our behalf – even when we don’t see any evidence that He is. That’s what faith is!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

It's All About Perspective

Continuing on with my animal-sitting here in Austin, I was taking the 2,000 lb longhorn, Vamanos, his morning meal, consisting of huge grain pellets and lots of hay. He is usually standing at the fence waiting or at least comes trotting if he is a distance away. Yesterday, no sign of Vamanos. I clanged the gate with the chain. Nada. I hollered and yelled for him. Nada. Suddenly, I became alarmed. NEVER had he not shown up for his mealtime. I, cautiously, walked inside the fence and went down a path that leads to a thick treed area, but then Mother Wisdom warned me about getting too far from the gate so I could make a quick exit if he shows up. He seems like a gentle giant, but my good instincts tell me he sees "red" when he sees me!

In a distance, I saw what looked to be horns and a carcass in the field. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I imagined wild animals had attacked him and eaten him up. As I walked closer, I was greatly relieved that it was the remains of a fallen tree looking exactly like what my imagination was telling me. After breathing a sigh of relief, I made my way back to the gate and called some more. I started pondering "Who can I call to go into that pasture and treed area to see if he is okay or hurt or sick?" I thought, "I'll give it an hour (it was 7 am) and then I'll go back and see if he showed up. As I was walking away, meandering up the hill, was Vamanos. I probably had awakened him from one of those mornings deep periods of sleep.

Of course, I would find a post for today out of that morning ordeal. My perspective was imagining the worst possible scenario and my vision saw it just that. Not until I got closer to the false scenario, did I change my perspective.

How many times do we imagine the worst possible thing to happen in our lives instead of getting a reality check? We hear the weather reports and rather than turning to the Creator of the weather, we succumb to fear and anxiety. We come up against some tough times financially, and we see ourselves going bankrupt instead of turning to He Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (gotta' keep up with my farm analogy). We see a light at the end of the tunnel but it's a train coming to take us out instead of the Light of the World turning things around for us.

Even though our perspective might be skewed and we may not see things clearly, just hold on. Time will pass and we will see it as clearly as God had planned all along. It will be like seeing with new eyes. Seeing things through His planned perspective. ‘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.’ {Jeremiah 29:11}

When we let our own limited perspective get in our way, we miss God in the midst. When we dwell on the outcome, we miss what is happening now. He is right there with us. He knows the way. He has the plan all figured out and He knows how it will all come together.

Just as Vamanos came sauntering up for his breakfast instead of being eaten alive as my perspective had made me think.....God will saunter or stroll along for a while, and in His perfectly set time.....we will see Him clearly and we will see the BIG PICTURE He planned all along.

Debt Paid In Full

Day 93 of Photo Inspirations -- Debt PAID in FULL
Two friends and I meet daily (M-F) at 6:30 am to walk the perimeter of our subdivision three times (3.3 miles).  We walk, talk and pray.  We're on purpose.  We pray for divine intervention for our families, our community, city, state and world.  "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  II Chronicles 7:14  

Because, we're "in the moment", we notice the "God" things all around us.  As the sun rises, we recognize the LIGHT of God's creation and His "Good Morning" to us.  We see the birds flying, and we hear "Don't concern yourselves with things that keep you earth-bound.  Rise up to My view where I see the BIG PICTURE -- the BIG PLANS for your lives and those plans are in progress for your good."

Yesterday morning, we were walking in wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Whew!  Acts 2:2 resonated in us ("....the rushing, mighty wind of God came in and filled the house where they were sitting").  We said, "Aw -- God's rushing, mighty wind is upon us and that wind pushes out anything contrary to God's Word in our community, our families' lives, our country and our world.  We prayed for Israel.

But, it was "Good Friday", and we talked about what Christ did for us on Calvary.  He paid a debt He didn't owe.  He paid our debt.  My friend mentioned a health issue, and right away we talked about the blood of Jesus that was shed for our sins AND for our healing.  "He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24.

As we talked about the power of His blood, we looked down and saw this red paint mark on the concrete -- and we were impressed by the visual that God caused us to see...simply because we were "in the moment" seizing the moment. There is nothing to compare with the nudges, visuals, and sweet embraces we feel from God when we make Him the invited guest, the center of attention and the VIP of our day.  Go ahead -- try it!  I promise you many, many divine encounters when you do.  Why wouldn't the ONE Who paid our debt, gave His life for us so that we would live, check in with us on a daily basis?  That's Who He is.  He is Emmanuel -- GOD WITH US!