The missing piece
Bible Reading: James 4:1-10
Author: Gale A. Richards (Iowa, US)
Author: Gale A. Richards (Iowa, US)
Saturday 17 January 2026 © The Upper Room.
My mother enjoys jigsaw puzzles. She starts with the edges and works inward – slowly bringing order to the chaos of small pieces. The pro- cess is challenging but satisfying. One puzzle that she worked on didn’t go together properly because each time she got close to finishing a certain part of the picture, a necessary piece was missing.
Life can feel like that incomplete puzzle when we forget to rely on God. We try to build our lives out of the pieces we have: education, money or material goods. Just when things seem to be coming together properly, frustrations creep in. The problem is that we are missing the piece that holds all the other pieces together – God. By coming to God in humble repentance, we receive the grace of our Lord’s forgiveness and love.
Following God in service is seldom easy, but it comes with peaceful assurance. He will guide our steps and can cause good to come out of the worst situation. He brings order and peace out of the chaos of life’s small pieces.
Prayer: God of grace, thank you for your promise to deliver us from evil. May your love and mercy guide our actions so we may know your peace each day. Amen
