What's Missing?

(excerpt from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

IN OUR EARLY years of school we were handed a delightful picture to evaluate. “Look at the picture and figure out what is missing,” we were told. Carefully we pondered each detail and compared it in our minds with a similar image we had seen before. Some of the pictures were ridiculously obvious in their omissions, but others were painfully elusive. It was terribly frustrating when our classmates would bounce in their seats and exclaim, “I know! I know! I know!” while we continued our search. We would view the picture from side to side, top to bottom, over and over again. What a relief when we could finally notice the missing piece.

Then the teacher’s next instructions followed: “Now draw in the missing part.” When it came to drawing, I (Melanie) was definitely not labeled as talented! I would struggle and agonize in my attempts to fill in the missing piece. Needless to say, it was always obvious where I had filled in the missing lines. Surprisingly, I could always tell where the talented children had drawn their lines too. Since none of us were the original artist of the drawing, we could not perfectly complete the picture.

Unfortunately, as adults there are some lessons we still have not learned from that elementary school exercise. Our lives are given to us as a wonderful design. We were created carefully and meticulously for a marvelous purpose. Each day we evaluate and ponder the intricate details of the many aspects that come together to structure our lives. Repeatedly we come to the conclusion that something is missing. We struggle in our search as others around us exclaim, “I know! I know! I know!” and lead us on one fruitless chase after another. In an attempt to not appear stupid, we create our own design to fill in the emptiness. But no matter how creative we are, our ultimate creation never matches the design our Creator planned unless we allow Him to complete the picture.

God is the Master Designer. In His mind’s eye He can see the completed masterpiece of our lives. The vastness of the task does not overwhelm Him. He delights in His creation. Knowing from the beginning to the ending His desired results, He patiently fashions the portrait. It is His self-portrait.

Unfortunately, the design we are sketching is our self-portrait. We are looking for happiness, fulfillment, meaning, control, freedom, belonging, relationships, money, contentment, satisfaction, and the list could go on and on. Foolishly we attempt to complete what the Master designed. Disappointment results when a novice attempts to complete a masterpiece independent of the Master.

God’s design requires us to be dependent on Him. Because we believe Satan’s lie that we are capable on our own, we seek to fill the void to our own satisfaction. All the while God replies, “I know!” He patiently waits for us to come to the Master Designer for our picture to be perfectly complete. “So you also are complete through your union with Christ” (Col. 2:10 NLT).

What is missing in your life?