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Listen while you read: "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"1 (Lyrics) |
1 Corinthians 12:21,27 – The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)
Occasionally, my daughter volunteers her time at a particular nursing home in our area. She enjoys interacting with some of the residents and getting to know a little about their lives. One man likes putting together large jigsaw puzzles for the purpose of giving them away as gifts. The last time my daughter saw him, his puzzle was almost completed — except the last piece was missing. The result was an empty space right in the middle of a beautiful picture. At this, the resident became very upset and kept repeating, "Nobody's gonna want that now!"
I could not help but feel sorry for this poor, elderly man who had put so much time and effort into something he felt was important. It was his way of giving to others; yet, an imperfect gift would not be acceptable. Only one more piece was all he needed; only one more piece would have made his picture perfect.
Looking at it from a spiritual standpoint, the body of Christ can be compared to that man's puzzle, with each piece depicting an individual member of the church. Once the puzzle is completed, the pieces will have been connected to form a beautiful picture of our Saviour. However, an empty space needs a supporting ligament before it can strengthen the body. Thus, if one member is missing, the whole church is affected.
Interestingly, the apostle Paul has described the church as a living organism, as opposed to an organization. As Christians, we are all responsible for the health and well-being of Christ's body in this world. Consequently, the Word of God encourages us to use our spiritual gifts.
Now it is time to complete the puzzle. Let none of us leave an empty space in the congregation, lest we hurt Christ's ministry.
Prayer: Dear Lord, empower Your church to present a beautiful picture of Yourself to an unbelieving world. Fill every empty space with the revival of Your Spirit, and permit all members of Your body to be joined together in perfect harmony, according to Your will. In Jesus' precious name, we pray. Amen.
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So true!
Thanks Lori. Blessings.
Thanks for another good one Lori.
A lovely devotional again Lori and oh, so very true.
Thank you for a powerful message. I am forwarding to many.
Lori, Thank you for writing this timely devotional. Praying all is well with your family. Blessings.
Great message today Lori, your writing just keeps getting better and better.
Blessings.
Hi, that image of the missing puzzle piece being any one of us not being involved in the church is very moving.
Thank you!
Dear Lori,
A big: amen sister!
Blessings.
Dear Lori,
What a perfect example of how we all fit into the body of Christ, a living organism.
Thank you for your insights; they are always so thought-provoking. God bless you.
“Interestingly, the apostle Paul has described the church as a living organism, as opposed to an organization.”
Hello Lori:
Isn’t the Presbyterian church an organization?
Thank you, Lori for this devotional. It is very important for our church family to grow and be financially strong. It is extremely troubling and grevious to see churches closing and being turned into dance studios and theatres, etc. We need to be a strong presence in this Godless society. This is very pertinent to the situation here.
Thank you Lori!
Well illustrated and beautifully said!
To God be the glory in the church of Jesus Christ!
It is always heartbreaking to hear someone comment they don’t need God.
How foolish is that?
Thank you for your prayer!
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, in whose name I offer you blessings for a Peace-filled day.
An interesting and challenging Devotional. Yes, indeed, we all are of value in the Church, but we need a good leader (Priest or Minister) to recognize individual talents, and encourage their use. The Church is a team, not a collection of individual efforts, and if a team member needs some help (prayer support) and gentle coaching, it is everyone’s responsibility to try and help – VERY gently.
Thanks, Lori…for writing to us.
AMEN! to your prayer and your thoughts!
This is so good Lori. Makes me think about how hard a puzzle can be to put together, and how each piece has to be in just the right place to fit in. Sometimes it looks like the right piece but it doesn’t quite fit in that space. If we search long enough we can find it.