The Body

Of all God’s creation the thing that amazes me most is God’s most unique creation, man. God not only made him a spiritual being but a physical and emotional being with a body, a soul and a spirit.

I have observed this fact about my own body; when I see a part of my body is facing danger, another part of my body tries to protect it. For example if I was walking along and something flew up and over my head, maybe only the leaf of a tree, both my hands would react by covering my head to protect it.

Last year I fell and broke my ankle. Though the place that hurt was my ankle, my whole body went into shock and trembled. The rest of my body also reacted. My mouth called for help (having been instructed by my mind to do so) and my hand rubbed my leg, trying to comfort it. It’s just amazing how the whole body responds in harmony together.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians says that the Church is a body, and Jesus is the head of this body. And this is what Paul wrote in Romans, ‘For, as we have a number of parts in one body, but all the parts have not the same use, so we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ, and are dependent on one another’ (Romans 12:4-5).

The most interesting thing to me is what Paul says in Colossians Chapter 12, and I recommend that you read it. He says that the body of Christ (the Church) should function as one. What an amazing way of describing the role we have as the Church. It would be ridiculous to think of my mind saying, ‘it’s just the ankle so I’ll ignore it’, or my mouth saying, ‘it’s just the ankle, what’s that to do with me?’ God created the body in such a way that all its parts automatically respond to one other.

We as the Church, the body of Christ, should be able to respond to one another in love. Jesus said ‘love one another and when you do this the world will know that you are mine’. Instead of casting blame and pointing the finger we should protect, strengthen, encourage, uplift and support one another. We should pray in unity with each other for the sake of the Gospel, especially in these last days.

Each individual member is a part of the body, and every part should coordinate and move together. If all of us do our part then God will command a blessing (Psalms 133). Do your part today. Encourage someone, pray for someone, pray for the nations where there is persecution of believers and pray for those whom God has called into the five fold ministry.

Prayer: Father God, I thank You for the price paid on the cross so that I can be part of Your body. I pray that You will open my eyes to see what part of the body I am. Help me to do what is right for Your Church, Your body. Give me a passion to love the body of Jesus and see that it grows. Amen.