1 Corinthians 12:12-13
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. 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.
We are the body...the body of Christ. Each of us carrying out different responsibilities within that body. If we were each ears, who would speak? If we were each noses,who would taste? If we were each legs, who would hold us? I think you get the picture.
In times in my life I have seen those parts of the body all at work at one time or another. Perhaps not all at the same time or from the same person but I have seen them and know that they are there with a purpose behind them. I know for myself I have sat back at times and thought, "there is NO way that I could EVER do that".
Not anymore...
God has shown me that I am so much stronger and so much more capable of ALL things through Him. It is when I finally took the time away from my own selfish desires and truly sought Him out that I was able to see and believe that I am His and am able. I have become that foot, that ear, that eye...whatever He has asked.
How boring would it be to go through your whole life as a big toe?
We need to, as Christ followers, I believe, always be open to all the different uses of "the body". We need to be watching carefully not to judge what we may not understand or are able to "wrap our brains around". Only God can work through us to do those things that people just don't get most of the time. You may walk alone in your time of obedience. You may have no one cheering you on. All you need to remember is that if He is asking, you need to obey and honor Him with His request.
We have to be ready to be used because for me it was in the blink of an eye. I was asked by God to do something that, at the time, felt like it was something out of reach for me, something that I had to completely put my feelings aside and follow Him where He was leading me. I had to absolutely lay myself down and surrender to Him, trust Him and obey.
I have seen what true obedience can do, I have felt the breath of God on my face and I have allowed Christ to use my hands and feet as His own.
For any of you that know me, I never used to talk like this. God was not a subject of conversation for me, but now I absolutely LOVE digging into topics and have the confidence that I need to speak of Him. Here is just one example...
I clean houses for a living and as of recently I have taken on four new cleaning jobs all of whom know each other. They are Muslim families and are the most wonderful people that I have had the opportunity to spend time with. A few months ago I had a chance to sit down with one of them who is a widow and lives alone. After John's stroke she was very kind and would call to inquire about him and would always take the time to talk to me when I was there every other week. I was there cleaning and she was asking about John, like she did every time I was there. She then asked how I was doing with everything and at the time I was pretty tired and a little stressed. She told me to sit down and she made me some lunch and we spent time eating together and talking. I asked her about her Muslim religion and it led into a very interesting conversation. I am pretty ashamed to say but in all my 36 years of life I have never done this before. I thank God for my new found confidence in Him!
I'm not sure why I am sharing all of this except to say that it was on my heart and I felt the need to blog it. God's timing is perfect, His plan is purposeful and His love is unending.
One last thought that I have come to keep at the front of my mind..."We cannot question what others do that seems inconceivable...God does not give us all the same gifts or abilities because we are "stretched" in different ways for different purposes."
