The Missing Piece

There is a new brand of jigsaw puzzles out there. Beautiful scenes are passé. Paul and I enjoy piecing together nostalgic collages of candy wrappers, cereal boxes and detailed themes. When we do a puzzle together I always let him have the privilege of placing the last piece. Recently, the last piece was missing. After running his hand over the 999 piece picture and checking the floor, he exclaimed, “Can you believe that we did all of this and do not have the last piece!” Not to worry, number 1000 was under the lid.  Missing piece found. Puzzle complete.

Christmas is like a collage puzzle. We begin on the outside border just after Thanksgiving and fill in the pieces till Christmas Day arrives. We put the puzzle together in segments: decorate, bake, buy and wrap, sing a carol or two and send a holiday greeting. Christmas shouts, “Ready or not, here I come!”. We respond, “I’ll do better next year.” But wait! Is the last piece of Christmas missing? Who is holding it? The truth is that the Missing Piece of Christmas is PEACE and Jesus holds it in His Divine Hand. And what is more…Peace is the only piece of Christmas that matters. Christmas begins with the last piece. If the Peace of the Christ-child does not frame our Christmas our puzzle is just a worldly distraction.

So on this Christmas we pray that the last piece be your first. Let Peace define your Christmas puzzle. Above all, please know this: Christmas is not a puzzle. The mystery is clearly revealed in God’s Word: …Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-7).

Let it not be said that our lives were lived without the Lasting Peace of Jesus

We wish you the Missing Peace this Christmas…

                                       Pardon for Sin
                                       Ever-lasting Life
                                       Abounding Love
                                       Continual Grace
                                       Eternal JOY

With Christmas love and joy,
Paul and DeeDee Cass

OPP (opportunity for action): Frame Christmas in your home. Cut your Christ-centered Christmas Cards into puzzle pieces. Help your children put them together to set the truth of Christmas in their hearts and minds. I also encourage you to gather your children in your bed first-thing on Christmas morning for a reading of Matthew 1:18-24 or Luke 1:26-38. Nurture your child’s faith by giving him or her the Missing Piece of Christmas…the Peace of the Christ-child.