Well, it has been entirely too long. I didn't realize that my real vacation would turn into a month of vacation from here too! Oops...
Well, now that I am back, it is time to get back on the wagon. Here is one thing I have been thinking about and hopefully in a day or two I will update on different things I have been praying/working/having fun with. But for now one post.
Today I was reading 1 Corinthians 12. We as a church have been going through 1 Corinthians since last fall, and it has been very good, and very challenging. I have also been readin daily in the Message Remix:Pause, which changes the layout of the scriptures, alternating OT and NT books, getting a little bit of both with out having to jump all over, just turning the page. There are usually three OT chapters, which have gone in succession, from Genesis straight to 2 Samuel, where I am at now, and it seems it will continue through one book at a time, but somewhat "chronologically". It has been wonderful, and a good way to work through the OT, especially reading about the law in Exodus/Leviticus/Numbers and how Jesus redefines that law.
Anyway, back to 1 Cor 12, which is about the body of Christ. We all have a part to play in the body of Christ. It is up to us to play that role perfectly (as much as we can as we are progrssively being sanctified). Peterson, in the Message, alludes to a body that is just an eye is a monster, not a healthy body. Paul also talks about how it is often the unseen, or "internal" parts that paly the most significant roles in the body. We can function without an eye, but not without a heart, or kidneys. Peterson's interpretation also alludes to the fact that our bodies are effected even when only one thing is not functioning right. But when we take care of our heart, digestive system, etc, our whole body feels good. (so much for holistic/naturapathic medicine being of the devil...).
We all have our roles to play. Though we often (or should I say "I") want to play the "bigger" role as we define it, the Body would not function correctly if we tried to play a part other than our own. Just as John the Baptist states, I need to be less, and He needs to be more. When we play our roles, we are contributing more to the Body than we can understand. It is a beautiful metaphor because we all have bodies and can feel when something is not right or even when things are going well. Though we as individuals are many and different in our parts, when we work together we function so well.
I pray that you and I may continue to know our parts and play them brilliantly. We are not called to play someone else's or make up for others, but to encourage each other to do their best. We won't understand what this all means and how the Body truly works together until we are all together in Heaven, since that didn't happen last Saturday. What a beautiful picture it will be when the Body works together and not against each other! :)
