The year my daughter received a fifteen hundred piece puzzle for Christmas and determined we would not to go to bed until it was finished was the year I stopped enjoying jigsaw puzzles. We finished it, framed it, and said never again! She still enjoys puzzles and games, but with a newborn at home, they’re much simpler to complete.
One of the first puzzles every child receives is the shape sorting variety. The puzzle box is filled with colorful shapes, each designed to fit through one specific opening cut into its sides. All the pieces fit nicely inside the box for storage.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you,” Jesus taught His disciples.
“For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.
Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.
For apart from me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
John 15:4-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.4-10.NLT
Remain in Me.
Remain in My Word.
Remain in My Love.
Stay. Abide. Dwell. Be One.
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.
And the same One who descended is the One who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with Himself.”
Ephesians 4:3-6, 10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.4.3-10.NLT
Together we are the Church. Unified we are powerful and effective, but to what purpose?
Jesus said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me.
May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
John 17:20-23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.17.20-23.NLT
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.
Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/jhn.3.16.NIRV
Anyone who believes.
Everyone who believes.
There is more than enough room in Christ for one more.
A Fitting Reply 