When the Puzzle Piece Turned Around

For Christmas, one of the children received a puzzle of the presidents of America.

Thanks to Rose's insistence, we ended up keeping it out and little by little getting it pieced together.
Here is Hannah trying to find where one puzzle piece belonged.
There was a spot where one seemed to belong,
but she had to turn it around and around till she found how it fit just right.

And about the same day, I read in my devotions a phrase that caught my eye.
"Jesus turned around."

 It was the story of Jesus and the woman who came up behind Him to touch the hem of His garment.

We don't read very many times about Jesus turning around.
We read how He set His face like a flint to go to Jerusalem,
and He let no one deter Him from Gethsemane, and Golgotha and the cross.
But when it came to a silent sufferer,
someone living in suffering and shame, coming up behind Him and touching the hem of His garment,
Jesus turned around.

And I wonder, when Jesus passes by us in our present day,
in our times of trouble or sorrow or shame or suffering or grief or uncertainty,
and we reach out to touch Him,
does He turn around to us?

Jesus is always on His way to help someone.
That's the very nature of Jesus.
So we all know He's out there to help people,
usually somebody else.
But when I have a need--
maybe something I'm too ashamed about to go to the throne of grace,
or too weak or too scared,
and I just slip up behind Him and reach out to try to touch the hem of His garment,
does He turn around to me?

Jesus, when somebody comes up behind You, hesitantly,

because they can't face up to You with this need or this burden or this shame or this hurt,

what do You do with a person like that? 

Is it really true that You turn around for someone like that?

That I don't have to be great like a President or rich like Bill Gates,

or classy like Mrs. Jones down the road, 

or smart like some people I know,

or anything like that,

for You to stop and turn around

and care?

 

Is it really true that You turn around and

1) cheer us--"Be of good cheer."

2) Value us-- "Daughter."

3) Commend us-- ""Your faith..."

and 4) Heal us-- "has made you well."

When the puzzle piece turned around,

it exactly fit the empty spot in the puzzle, making it whole.

And when Jesus turns around,

He exactly fills our deepest need and every empty crevice of our longing heart,

making us whole!