Stephen spoke this morning about unity, likening this to the finished picture on a jigsaw puzzle. A jigsaw puzzle is made up of individual pieces fitted together to form a picture. God is working in the church to bring every individual together to fit together like a jigsaw and reflect the picture He is making.
God began this unifying picture in the Garden of Eden when He made Adam and Eve to be united as one flesh (Gen 2:23-24). (We might think of this as the simplest kind of jigsaw, with just two pieces!)
Ps 133 shows us a picture of unity within the family of God, likening this to precious oil pouring down Aaron’s beard and clothing and dew falling on Mount Zion. Anyone who has had a pamper session with refreshing oils will know how reviving and revitalising this can be. God’s love is bestowed lavishly upon us, uniting us to be one as Jesus is one with the Father (see John 17:20-23).
The more complicated a jigsaw becomes, the more it is a challenge for us – 1000 piece puzzles and 3D puzzles can be really difficult to complete. Unity challenges us because it means loving as God does, putting others before ourselves. We have to participate in this and can’t just be spectators. God’s love is vaster than we can comprehend; as the children’s song reminds us, ‘It’s so high, you can’t get over it/ So low, you can’t get under it/ So wide you can’t get round it.’ (Richard Irwin) Love is God’s full picture (since He is love) and unity comes as we are united to God and each other in love.
