Sudoku Puzzles Dieting Parable - by DianaDee Osborne

MARCH 6
Back in 2005, I suddenly decided that I'd like to learn how to do what someone was doing on a long trip.... a Sudoku puzzle.  First test:  Could I learn to spell the word. Kept saying Soduko?!

Reached a point where I could get about 2/3rd the way through a Level 3.... and then   I  "Lost It."  Realized I'd made a mistake somewhere, and absolutely couldn't figure out where.  
Decided to exercise my brains on something less frustrating.

But about a year ago, I started doing 1 or 2 EASY! level puzzles per day trying to fight the "brain fog" that,  after many doctor's visits and lab tests,  was finally identified as REAL  (not "You're depressed").  Making my mind work really did help.  And still does as the various treatments like thyroid medicines, D3, and things that start with "P" ( brain fog never remembers the long words!) start to re-build,  with God's healing guidance.

HERE'S A HINT:    When you know for certain that a number is correct,  CIRCLE it after you write it in.     Then if you later realize you've made a mistake somewhere,    you can ignore the circle numbers and look elsewhere for the place to fix.

HERE'S A PARABLE:

When we read God's Bible, it pretty much is a puzzle.
Only arrogance would say that any human can figure out God.
But there are some things we can easily figure out----

         even before we learn the truth that God WANTS to

               help us, and offers His Spirit's wisdom  (James 1: 5-6). 
We can sort of "circle" them as truth we understand.
Then the more we delve into God's Word,
the more we see where OTHER pieces fit, like Sudoku numbers.

 Here's a  COOL thing!                       

Proverbs 25:  2  [It is] the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.     (New KJV)

Some people mis-read that to say that God is keeping secrets from people.... TRYING to be hard to know.  How ridiculous!  God sent His  SON  to explain His word to us...  

see Luke 24: 25 - 32 of how Jesus had mercy even on their inability or unwillingness to search out the truth. 

It's like God giving us fun E a s t  e r   eggs to hunt for.... there's a joy in the SEARCH.... not just the Find!

 
And as we search,
we find that God has had grace and mercy on us.... even when we deliberately give in to sins of any kind.... since 1,000s of years before Jesus came.   
It was that very loving mercy that sent Jesus to do what we could not --- pay the price of our sins so that we can live in heaven with God forever if we humbly repent of them and ask Him to.  NO -- we don't understand it all.
BUT GOD OFFERS US a joy in the SEARCH!
And HELP:
**** John 14:26, Jesus said He'd send the Holy Spirit to help us remember the scriptures through which we hear what Jesus taught.
**** James 1: 5-6, God says He gladly gives (WHEN we humbly ask) wisdom to UNDERSTAND what the Holy Spirit helps us to remember, scriptures, etc.
 

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I dearly do love You. Am amazed by You.  
Am so weary of not being able to work out the puzzles I see in Your Word.... 
and yet excited that You understand this and offer Your help!   
Please give me wisdom and.... in Your timing.... 
all the answers I need to fully serve You whom I do dearly love.
And to REFLECT you... 2nd Corinthians 3:18. Which doesn't include 
any kinds of selfishness, including gluttony or gossiping or complaining.
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©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),  
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com