As jigsaw-puzzle enthusiasts can attest, few things are more frustrating than coming to the end of a challenging puzzle of hundreds or even thousands of pieces, only to discover that one piece is missing. (Amen to that! – RH)
Even though the rest of the picture may be beautiful, our eyes are immediately drawn to the empty space.
The puzzle is incomplete.
One thing we know that is not incomplete is God’s love, and the good news is that God’s love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:12 says this:
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
Since we belong to Christ:
“the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)
We are intricately and wonderfully recreated in Christ, and God’s love in us is that final piece that completes the puzzle.
We are made to love and to be loved by our Creator.
Do we know that we are deeply loved by Christ?
His love is very intimate and personal.
We are people that Christ has set His divine affection on, and He has a special love for us in His family.
Because we are dearly loved people, this love relationship should motivate us in loving others, since we were recreated already in Christ.
God’s love is not a mushy sentimentality or a strong feeling for someone.
A young man said to his father at breakfast one morning, “Dad, I’m going to get married.”
“How do you know you’re ready to get married?” asked the father.
“Are you in love?”
“I sure am,” said the son.
“How do you know you’re in love?” asked the father.
“Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good-night, her dog bit me and I didn’t feel the pain until I got home.”
This is not an example of God’s kind of love!
God’s love for us and our expressing it to others is an unconditional and sacrificial meeting the needs of others by our attitudes and actions.
Many of us may spend time searching for love.
We can be encouraged to know that God’s love is made complete in us.
We are lacking nothing.
We are a completed puzzle when we act in love, just as God designed us to be.
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries