A Puzzling Situation

The puzzle was amazing – it weighed over forty pounds and contained 18, 240 pieces. Very few would attempt to complete such a difficult puzzle, but that is exactly what Mr. Richard Gontarz did in 2005.

Day after day, Mr. Gontarz labored over it. Day after day, he neglected family and friends trying or order this chaos. Finally, after ten months of effort – over one thousand hours of work, the puzzle was completed – nearly.

For, Mr. Gontarz discovered on completion of the puzzle that one piece was missing. His house was searched from top to bottom without results and it became apparent that Buddy, the family beagle had eaten it.

Many people speak of life as though it was a puzzle. They see confusion and chaos in the daily decision they face. They work so hard and still face uncertainty that everything will come together.

They struggle for goals that always seem just out of reach. Then, at the end of life, they look back to the realization that there is something missing – that something was always missing for them to experience completion.

Jesus is that missing piece. He is the part of the puzzle that must come first. When He is in a life, it ceases to be puzzling, but rather a daily revelation. There are still daily decisions and much hard work, but Christ’s presence brings order to the madness.

In the end, the life that is begun and maintained with Christ will come together in a picture. This puzzle, begun on faith, will end as a reflection of the One who began it – Jesus Christ.