Day 13 - Keeping It Together

Read 1 Corinthians 12

As a church we need to really ‘keep it together’ and we do that by first accepting each other in Christ! We all have a part to play and we are all needed.  It isn’t about who is more visible or who gets more attention.  It is about concentrating on the importance of the body and circulating the love of Christ through all our body parts!  The goal is that we serve one another in love.  We can’t get caught up in the comparison game and must remember that if we are playing our God-given role, it is important.  I remember one time I was working at a large camp ministry and I was also a youth pastor at that time.  I wasn’t the speaker and I didn’t play a major up front role during my time there. They asked me to focus more behind the scenes with the program staff.  It was humbling, but I was able to gain a whole new appreciation for those in the trenches. It also gave me opportunities to gel with some of my own ministry team on staff as well.  We prayed and served together and also learned a lot of great ways to create an environment for healthy relationships to grow. 

Another way we ‘keep it together’ is that we all focus on the same goal.  We all need to be on the same page and that is a big reason why I feel so committed to this exercise.  My heart’s desire is that we will all   capture the same vision for why God has brought us together here in community.  We need to see how we complement each other and how God has given us strengths to help people.  We also need people in our lives to help us shore up our weaknesses and reveal our blind spots.  It’s not always easy to hear, but it is so needed. Together we are really better and we can do so much more when we are all moving in the same      direction.

Finally, we need to know what position we are playing.  In any sport, the good player will tell you it’s a result of a total team effort, each player playing their position and complementing each other towards the desired end of reaching what God has intended for us. One strong line can’t win a game in hockey and in the church, unfortunately the load gets laid on one line so to speak too often.  We need more players who aren’t just content to ride the pine (that means bench warmers!)  Christianity is not a spectator sport and we all need to be involved.   Have you learned to accept others for what God has gifted them to do?     Do you feel that you are connected here at Grace?  Why or why not?  Do you know what position God has called you to play and are you playing it?