God's plan for humanity is not a
conglomeration of various unrelated events with a hodgepodge of results. It is
as orderly and detailed as the planets in orbit around the sun.
God arranged the planets to all
sit at just the right angle and spacing, especially the earth. Our world tilts
at the exact slant it needs to support life. Its composition consists of the
perfect combination of chemical elements and matter to ensure our existence.
King Jesus is also establishing
His Kingdom on the earth in order to physically abide with everyone who is
humble enough to accept His call on their life. He incorporates us into His
Body of Believers throughout generations and nations from the beginning of
time.
God designed His Body so that
when one member suffers, we all suffer; and when one member rejoices, we all
rejoice (1 Corinthians 12:26). Unfortunately, Satan makes sure that his
character attributes of jealousy, covetousness and pride steal these ideal
circumstances from us.
This causes God's Body to operate
dysfunctionally, to think more of our self than anyone else, to keep our own priorities
as our focus and to lack any concern for those around us who, by their own
choices (John 3:18), are lost and destined to spend eternity in hell.
Many people spend more time on
vacations than in service to God's Body; more money on their toys, collections, hobbies and gadgets
than on the ministries of the church which promote God's Kingdom. They focus
more on their own agenda and endeavors than on the will of God.
They often reject one church Body
for another, divorcing their former church family without one regret. They
disfigure God's Body - like an eye rolling down the path of life, leaving one
church with only one eye and their next church with more than the two eyes it
needs (1 Corinthians 12:14-22).
Sometimes, disgruntled people
refuse to attend any church at all, despising a part of the Bride of Christ that Jesus gave His life to redeem (2 Corinthians 11:2). They cut themselves
off from the fellowship and blessings of their church family.
At times, certain people in our
church Body may exasperate us or are irritating and hard to live with, but
Christ is patient with us (Romans 5:8), and we can allow the fruit of God's
Spirit to help us to be patient with His Body as well (Galatians 5:22-23).
Prayer:
Father God, remind us that when
we determine to put our self first, to divorce Your Bride, or to stir up
trouble with gossip and dissention, this says more about our character than the
short-comings within Your Body. Help us to attain spiritual maturity through
Christ in us, so that we can love Your Bride unconditionally and to serve with
tireless devotion in the church where You plant us (Luke 6:32).
Your grace enables us to love
others as Christ loves us, sacrificially, patiently and selflessly. You do not
require us to "like" anyone else, but You do expect us to love them
with the love of Christ within us. Help us to be part of the solution, rather
than part of the problem, by stepping up and faithfully and tirelessly serving Your Bride where we see
areas of need.
Thought for the Day:
Our Great Physician is a skilled
surgeon who continually operates on the heart of each of us, to give us new
life in Him in order to resolve life's most complex issues, to bring peace in
the more tumultuous circumstances, and to draw us to the truth of His Word as we
all continually abide in His presence.
