I admit I’m not very good at working jigsaw puzzles. I watch my wife spend days separating and grouping pieces, then follow her time-proven system to put the puzzle together. It relaxes her and works her mind all at the same time. I’m jealous! When I work on one, where she finds peace, I find frustration; where she finds a form of joy, I find irritation.

I really don’t know how anyone can find peace or joy in working with a thousand broken pieces. Of course, if a piece or two is missing, the peace turns to frustration and irritation. Which brings me to the Apostle Paul. No, I don’t know if people worked jigsaw puzzles in the 1st century, but they probably had something just as irritating. Sorry, puzzle people, please don’t take this personally.

So back to Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, he reminds me of a puzzle that may be missing a few pieces. Now hear me out before you think I’m anti-Paul. Consider that Paul is sitting in a jail cell in Rome. It’s not a pleasant place, I doubt the food is good, and he is waiting to be sentenced by the emperor Nero whose sanity and kindness were highly questionable. Yet, Paul is filled with joy! It sounds like Paul may have had a piece or two missing, or as we say, was a few bricks short of a load. So, did he Yes and no.

Paul was filled with joy because he had found the joy of having the presence of Christ with him, even in the darkest places. Wouldn’t you love to be filled with peace and joy in dark times? That is why Paul is writing to the Philippians. He wants them, and us, to have the same peace and joy that he has. 

I still think Paul was missing a few pieces but in a good way. Join us Sunday at First Methodist Church Bridgeport at 10:30 a.m. or on Facebook live and see if we can’t find the missing pieces.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Pastor Rick