Parts of the Whole
Saturday, August 13, 2022
But God has combined the various parts of the body, giving special honour to the humbler parts, so that there might be no sense of division in the body, but that all its organs might feel the same concern for one another. 1 Cor. 12:24, 25, NEB.
All too often I find myself wondering why God doesn't use me in some great and noble work for Him—to preach to the masses, to make an important scientific discovery, to produce a secular movie with a Christian message, to possess great wealth so it can be given to His work. And then I pause and look around me and see all the beautiful children of God, both past and present, who were/are the seemingly unimportant parts of the body of Christ.
Think of our body for a moment. It requires millions of endothelial and connective tissue cells to make one tiny blood vessel running from the heart to the brain. How important the brain and unassuming the vessel, but should this tiny vessel rupture . . .
Every person is vital and important to God—each His own gift and each needed by God for that perfectly functioning body, the church, ultimately Christ's bride.
Jonathan Goforth, that great early missionary to China, would take long trips away from his mission post. On one of those to Manchuria he had one of the most memorable three-day missionary campaigns of his life. Hundreds came to the Lord and were baptized. Years later he was speaking in England and mentioned the incident. A woman happened to hear of it and showed him her diary. During the exact three days that he was having such a remarkable evangelistic campaign, God mysteriously led her to fervently pray for His work.
Never should you feel discouraged or insignificant because your life seems so unimportant. God needs your talent. He needs you to share your testimony with others to encourage and uplift them. You are a significant part of His universe and can play a vital and needed role in His plan for His church.
May each of us seek God's direction so He can fit us into His body where He wants us. May we serve Him with gladness, and may joy fill us as He uses us to do just what He needs for His church.
Ask God what He wants you to do today. Stay on your knees long enough for the Holy Spirit to tell you at least two things you could do for God.
All too often I find myself wondering why God doesn't use me in some great and noble work for Him—to preach to the masses, to make an important scientific discovery, to produce a secular movie with a Christian message, to possess great wealth so it can be given to His work. And then I pause and look around me and see all the beautiful children of God, both past and present, who were/are the seemingly unimportant parts of the body of Christ.
Think of our body for a moment. It requires millions of endothelial and connective tissue cells to make one tiny blood vessel running from the heart to the brain. How important the brain and unassuming the vessel, but should this tiny vessel rupture . . .
Every person is vital and important to God—each His own gift and each needed by God for that perfectly functioning body, the church, ultimately Christ's bride.
Jonathan Goforth, that great early missionary to China, would take long trips away from his mission post. On one of those to Manchuria he had one of the most memorable three-day missionary campaigns of his life. Hundreds came to the Lord and were baptized. Years later he was speaking in England and mentioned the incident. A woman happened to hear of it and showed him her diary. During the exact three days that he was having such a remarkable evangelistic campaign, God mysteriously led her to fervently pray for His work.
Never should you feel discouraged or insignificant because your life seems so unimportant. God needs your talent. He needs you to share your testimony with others to encourage and uplift them. You are a significant part of His universe and can play a vital and needed role in His plan for His church.
May each of us seek God's direction so He can fit us into His body where He wants us. May we serve Him with gladness, and may joy fill us as He uses us to do just what He needs for His church.
Ask God what He wants you to do today. Stay on your knees long enough for the Holy Spirit to tell you at least two things you could do for God.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
Previous | Today | Next
