William Barclay said, "It may well be that the world is denied miracle after miracle and triumph after triumph because we will not bring to Christ what we have and what we are. If, just as we are, we would lay ourselves on the altar of service of Jesus Christ, there is no saying what Christ could do with us and through us. We may be sorry and embarrassed that we have not more to bring -- and rightly so; but that is not reason for failing or refusing to bring what we have and what we are. Little is always much in the hands of Christ."
Wow! Talk about a spiritual two by four! So many times we want to give excuses about why we can't serve. We are too old or too young. We are too poor or too busy. Yet the fact of the matter remains, God wants us to come with however little or much we have so that it can be multiplied for the good of the Kingdom.
This reminds me of the letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth stating, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 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!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable...(1 Corinthians 12:12-22 ).
You see, every part of the body is important; even the seemingly weakest parts. If we withhold ourselves from Christ's activity, the whole body suffers. We need each other. In every season of life and in every capacity of grace, to be the fullest expression of the body of Christ. Let us bring who we are and what we have to Christ so that Christ's body may have the greateast impact on the world around us.
Today's Prayer - Holy God, we praise you for accepting us right where we are at. We give thanks that you guide us in growth and nurturing so that we are continuously transformed after every encounter with you. Help us today in our weaknesses. Grant us the courage to lay our entire beings at your feet. Grant us the graces and gifts we need to serve where you have called us in mission and ministry for your Kingdom's sake. Allow us to recognize and celebrate all the various facets of your body. Grant us the unity needed to work together for the good that you have in mind for us. Thanks for making us a part of the whole. In Christ's name, amen.
Wow! Talk about a spiritual two by four! So many times we want to give excuses about why we can't serve. We are too old or too young. We are too poor or too busy. Yet the fact of the matter remains, God wants us to come with however little or much we have so that it can be multiplied for the good of the Kingdom.
This reminds me of the letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth stating, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 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!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable...(1 Corinthians 12:12-22 ).
You see, every part of the body is important; even the seemingly weakest parts. If we withhold ourselves from Christ's activity, the whole body suffers. We need each other. In every season of life and in every capacity of grace, to be the fullest expression of the body of Christ. Let us bring who we are and what we have to Christ so that Christ's body may have the greateast impact on the world around us.
Today's Prayer - Holy God, we praise you for accepting us right where we are at. We give thanks that you guide us in growth and nurturing so that we are continuously transformed after every encounter with you. Help us today in our weaknesses. Grant us the courage to lay our entire beings at your feet. Grant us the graces and gifts we need to serve where you have called us in mission and ministry for your Kingdom's sake. Allow us to recognize and celebrate all the various facets of your body. Grant us the unity needed to work together for the good that you have in mind for us. Thanks for making us a part of the whole. In Christ's name, amen.
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