Anchor House Week 5: The Puzzle

We have a tradition at Anchor House. We keep a space dedicated to working on a jigsaw puzzle. When there is downtime the volunteers take a seat at the table and work on the puzzle. They sit there quietly and seek for the right pieces. Slowly, over several days, the pile of puzzle pieces without a home diminishes. Each piece is found and put in the space it uniquely fits. No other piece could fit the same. The picture begins to take shape as each piece is found and placed.

In Luke 19:10 Jesus says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” To apply it to this puzzle analogy, His purpose is to sift out of the pile each puzzle piece and put it in its proper place. The Message version of the Bible says that Jesus has come to "restore the lost." Puzzle pieces once placed in their unique spot are restored to the position the creator intended for them to be.

Scripture tells us that God knows us intimately. It says, "the very hairs of your head are numbered…" He created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows that we don't belong in the pile. God calls us out of that pile. The fact is, none of the pieces belong in the pile. We all belong in His puzzle because of Jesus. We belong in the unique place He has created for us.

So, when the world tries to tell you that "You don't fit in" or "You don't have a purpose" or "You aren't like us.". Remember your Father in heaven created you to be a unique piece of His puzzle. He knows exactly where you fit.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt

Comments

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions. It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them. The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold. He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold. When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...

Do the Work

Sometimes I sit down to write and it just seems like I am trying to write with a pen without ink. There is simply nothing productive coming from the activity. Other times, God just pours it out on me. The ideas flow and the message comes together with ease. More often than not it's the former rather than the latter. It seems God likes to make us work for it. The ones I have to work a bit harder on become the ones I like the most. I think we appreciate the things we have to work for more than the things that come easy. Our LifeGroup recently read about the Miraculous Catch of Fish. You know the story where Peter and his buddies have been out fishing all night and came back to shore completely empty handed. That next morning, Jesus asks them to take him out in the boat. Once out on the water, He has them put the nets back down and they bring in loads and loads of fish. So many fish that two boats almost sank. I guess Jesus could have just made the fish jump into th...

Grits

This past Saturday I got the chance to catch up with my friend at breakfast. We connected months ago over grits, of all things. I learned he really didn't care for grits. Turns out his parents used to make him eat them quite often and in many forms. As he has grown older he's made the conscious decision, he's had enough grits for a lifetime. On the other hand, I really enjoy grits. They are a wonderful breakfast food with butter, salt, and pepper. For dinner, you can't beat some good shrimp and grits. I have a recipe for jambalaya grits that will put a smile on anyone's face. It is like jambalaya meets cheese grits. Yum! My friend and I joke about grits everytime we see each other. I offer him some and he politely refuses. Of course, I respect his wishes and don't give him any grits. How do you offer someone grits? Do you insist they eat and like them because you eat them? Do you put them on their plate anyway? Do you treat them differently bec...

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