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We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure…
Hebrews 6:19 GNT

When we married, I brought with me the delight of assembling jigsaw puzzles. It quickly became a hobby we enjoyed together. We could spend hours, and sometimes days, putting together a large, complicated puzzle. We had a routine – first sorting through all the pieces to find the edges and corners, then proceeding to fit together the remaining pieces based on that framework – and having the reference picture on the box helped a lot! Occasionally, we would get side-tracked and attempt to assemble the puzzle without the frame being in place. We found this was never really successful and led to frustration and wasted time. He made frames for them and they still hang throughout our home. I treasure them.

Every once in a while, we would end up with a piece missing after the puzzle was completed. Sometimes, it was a body piece. Sometimes it was an edge or even a corner piece. It seemed we could overlook the missing body piece but the absence of that edge or corner piece was very apparent, and the puzzle was useless for framing.

I still love to assemble puzzles. However, due to space limits and a very “helpful” cat, I now assemble the puzzles online. The process is the same, however. First, the corners and edges – then the rest. Occasionally the site offers a “challenge” puzzle to assemble with just a title – no reference picture. It is pointless for me to attempt assembly without the corner and edge pieces in place. The puzzle frame is the only reference I have to continue.

While I was working on the most recent challenge, I was thinking how my life now is similar to the “challenge” puzzle experience.

I have in front of me a large group of puzzle pieces. I have a title “Linda’s life now without her husband”. I must work on getting this puzzle together.

It is the corner and edge pieces that will give me a strong start – a solid foundation in putting this picture together.

My four strong corners come straight from God’s Word: (New Living Translation)

When I have trouble sleeping:

“In peace I will lie down and sleep. For You alone Lord God cause me to dwell in safety.”
Psalm 4:8

When storms blow in:

“The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but He protects the property of widows.”
Proverbs 15:25

When I am concerned about repairmen and business dealings:

“He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice”.
Deuteronomy 10:18

When I miss my husband and need to talk:

“For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is His name. He is your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth”.
Isaiah 54:5

These four strong corners anchor the framework of my life now – and a truly solid anchor it is. It will take the remainder of my days to complete this particular “challenge” puzzle. But, that’s ok – because the corners and edges are solid, and I have the promise of God’s Word that when the last piece is in place I will be joining Him in Heaven!

Father, Your Word is our life. It sustains us and gives us strength. We know we can rely on it totally to guide us through this life-time assembly process. We are so very grateful. Amen