The Puzzle

Life is lived in tension. There is the "what is" and the "what will be". The known and the unknown. The now and the then. Not always opposites, but often complimentary components sometimes pulling us, sometimes pushing us, but always stretching us. Occasionally seasoned by the past, but most often stilted by it.

It is like a giant puzzle. We know all the pieces are there but we do not have the cover of the box so we have no idea what the final picture should look like. Consequently, we struggle to see in our mind's eye what, for all intents and purposes, cannot be seen except one piece at a time. So often we find ourselves frantically looking for the next piece, knowing that if we find it, it will get us that much  closer to the next, and the next and the next.

The Bible is God's puzzle. Unlike our life, we have the cover of the box for this one. We know what the "final picture" looks like. So in many ways we can piece together a fairly cohesive picture of things, like the character of God for example. Many, who have come before us, have done so in a variety of ways and use a variety of terms to describe Him; omniscient, omnipresent, loving, patient, merciful, immutable, invisible, sovereign, etc.

What strikes me as unusual, is that most descriptions will seldom include any attributes that might be considered negative characteristics. For example: jealous, vengeful, flexible, impatient.  Consequently, there is a rather distorted picture of God. One that is not fully functional or fully formed. It certainly fits with what many people want Him to look like or act like, but it does not necessarily fit with how the Bible describes Him. Which is uncomfortable for some. I am not sure why, since we have the cover of the box and know what the final picture looks like, but it does.

As I continue to think about this, it could explain why so many people avoid the Old Testament. It may not be because that they do not like the genealogies, dietary instructions and laws, it may simply be, they do not like what they read about God. 

I guess half a box top is better than no box top at all when it comes to puzzles.