Devotional - Unity in the Body

 

1 Corinthian 12: 12 - 14

12 For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14 For the body is not one member, but many.

I was in pain. I was experiencing a severe case of trigger finger and could barely use my left hand.  Only one finger was hurting but the whole hand was negatively affected. It felt very awkward and it took me twice as long to complete even the simplest of tasks. The slightest pressure on the finger caused severe pain. I could not grip objects or make a fist. It slowed my progress as I was not able to do things in the normal way.  Simple tasks that I took for granted and did without thinking were now proving to be quite difficult.  The problem with this one finger was causing a major problem. There was no denying the domino effect of this injury on my day-to-day activities. I had to find a solution and I needed it urgently. 

 A steroid injection from the doctor did the trick. I had not planned for the unexpected expense but I had to make a choice.  Find the money for the injection and get relief or forego the injection and continue to suffer the ill effects of the pain. I chose the former.

Like the human body, the body of Christ is one body that is made up of different members. When one member suffers, the whole body is affected. The work of the church suffers when members are sick, injured, and broken.  This inevitably produces a domino effect on the life of the church resulting in a downward slide. The ministry of the church is negatively impacted when members do not function at optimum levels. 

In order for the Body of Christ to thrive, there must be unity of heart, mind, and soul. We need each other and must work together to establish the Kingdom of God. We need an injection of togetherness. It is said that a chain is as strong as its weakest link. If one fails, then all fail. Every member must therefore be at their best so that the church can grow as a strong, united body.  Such a church is a blessed church. The Word states in Psalm 133 that it is good for brethren to dwell together in unity and when that takes place, the Lord commands a blessing. 

May we, as the Body of Christ, be cognizant of the fact that each member of the Body has significance and none is more important than the other. Let us live together in unity, helping and restoring those among us who are hurting so that together, we can be stronger and bring glory to God. 

Reflection

Why is it important for the Body of Christ to be united?

What can we do to ensure that the Body of Christ comes to a place of unity and remain that way?

Prayer

Father. thank you that as a united Body of Christ we can serve you and bring glory to your name. Help us to show love and care for each other and bear each other's burdens so that no one is left behind. In Jesus' name. Amen. 







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POEM - Mama Was A Wise One

  Mama Was a Wise One   Mama was a wise one, she had a way with words, Mama was a wise one, mek mi tell yuh weh she used to seh!   Scornful dawg nyam dutty puddn, chicken merry, hawk deh near And when you ears too hard, she seh who cyaa hear will feel   Mama was a wise one, she taught us how to save She seh one one cocoa full basket, good advice she always gave   Mama was a wise one, leading us along the right path She taught us how to be patient, to meekly wait and murmur not   Mama was a wise one, she taught us how to pray Gentle Jesus meek and mild, each night at bedtime we would say   Mama was a wise one, she taught us the value of stability To stand our ground and not fool around, for a rolling stone gathers no moss.   Mama was a wise one, she taught us to be thrifty Not to compete with the Joneses, but to hang our basket where we can reach it   Mama was a wise one, she taught us to have a plan B Not to be swayed by so-so words, for
Read more

Devotional - A New Lease on Life

pub-3751615692135036   Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ...”  Romans 8:11  (MSG)   It is said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and I recently had a personal experience that proves that this saying is quite true. Recently, I threw out an old fan which I had bought years ago when I started working after leaving University. Though it could still function somewhat, it wasn’t as effective as when I first bought it. Constant use over the years had started to take its toll.   It could no longer rotate; it had started to rust and the head was almost severed from the trunk. To me, it was not worth fixing. It seemed useless so I threw it out. Out with the old, in with the new. To my surprise, within a few hours it had found a new owner. My neighbour took it from the garbage heap, cleaned it off, used a piece of cloth to tie the almost severed head and in no time, he had a “new”
Read more

Devotional - A Divinely Ordained Delay (Part 2)

The steps of the righteous man are ordered by the Lord…Psalm 37:23   Recently I saw a post on Facebook which said that sometimes God delays us where we are because He knows that there is a storm ahead.  I was really encouraged as I meditated on this thought.  Our loving Father, who sees danger ahead, prevents us from moving forward as the danger ahead is not part of His plan for us. Then a few days later as I was chitchatting with my co-worker, she related how the previous afternoon she was delayed at the office until 6 pm as she could not find her car keys. She had retraced her steps to areas of the office that she had been to before and searched her bag several times. She even emptied the contents and searched the various compartments of her bag to no avail. At the end of her rope, she called out to God in her distress. Immediately, He answered by telling her to check her bag one more time. Of course, she resisted the idea because she had checked several times before.  Nevert
Read more

Words of Inspiration - Gratitude Is a Must!

  As I walked through my neighborhood early one morning this week, my heart overflowed with joy and gratitude. As I took in the sights and sounds, felt the cool breeze, and saw the sun slowly spread out its warm rays, I gave thanks to God for such wonderful blessings.  I looked towards the lush green mountains I was reminded of Psalm 121,' I will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the maker of heaven and earth'. Casting my gaze to the intersection where the mountains kissed the sky, Psalm 19 came to mind, 'The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork'. God's green earth and magnificent heaven were certainly on display and I thank God that I was blessed with sight to be a witness of this spectacle. I then began to reflect on my own personal situation. The little C had found me but you would never know if I did not tell you. I was down but certainly not out. I was just experiencing a little bump i
Read more

Devotional - Hidden Things

pub-3751615692135036 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run  with perseverance  the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12: 1   I was pleasantly surprised when what was hidden came to light. I had just bought a new fridge and two of my neighbours were assisting by taking it into the apartment. In order to create additional space at the entrance to the living room, some furniture had to be moved out of the way. It was then that I got my big surprise. Hidden behind the furniture were items I had long forgotten about, things of value that could certainly be put to good use. What were those things? A phone charger and a key ring. How did they get there? I have no idea. As I pondered what had happened, I could immediately see the parallels in our lives. Often there are hidden things in our lives that can only be revealed when we remove the ‘furniture’ aka blockages
Read more