Thanks for the Body!!!!

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Today's Passage: Ephesians 4:11-16
Memory Verse: Eph. 4:14-16

If you've ever had a drag-down, knock- out fight with the enemy, you'll agree with me that you've probably felt alone more than once in your Christian life.  The enemy is skilled at separating us in our most vulnerable moments.  He's got a strong knack for playing with our minds and making us feel as if there's no other person on the planet who understands what we're going through.

But a closer look will get you to see that his strategy is nothing but a sham-- a smokescreen of fake evidence appearing real.  I, for one, have personally experienced the blessing of having Christian brothers and sisters  around for love and support.  I believe one of the reasons God allows us to be subjected to feeling alone for a season is so we can learn to depend completely on Him.  

No matter how you look at it, there should never be another human being on the face of this earth who should be able to fill the void in our lives where God should be.  And yet, when we're going through, we expect others to answer that call in our hearts, becoming dejected when they cannot perform up to our expectations.  Today's passage helps us understand once and for all what the true purpose of the body is.

Let me give you some examples.  At ALM, there is a group of praisers and worshippers who don't even have to know my situation to know the situation to understand that they need to pray for me at any given time.  They form part of the body of Christ's immune system, erecting a barrier around others as they lift up the name of Jesus.  Then there's the lifeblood of the ministry-- the circulatory system made up of men and women who spend the little extra time they have left finding ways to encourage and bless the body.  So while we're busy feeling sorry for ourselves, we're missing out on meaningful friendships and relationships the Lord has set up for us.  It's time to appreciate the body how and why God has knit us together for such a time as this.  Thanks, God, for the body.

Prayer:    Father, thank You that everyone has their place.  You've thought of everyone's gifts and everything.  You left nothing out when designing Your answer to the questions we would have.  Please help me to grow in my faith so that I, too, can function as part of the well-oiled machine that You made.  I love You forever.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.