Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today- the body of Christ is so broken and disfigured, it’s no wonder God’s beauty remains unseen through us. The way to healing is so clear, so possible, so available, yet we refuse healing, we would rather limp blindly stumbling foolishly and ineffectually on, rather than stand tall and display God’s intended beauty. If sinfulness is refusing to live in His intended ways, then we are so deeply committed to our sin. It should break our hearts deeply in a way that makes it impossible for us to perpetuate this inherited sinfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:24-27 TPT
[24] But some of our body parts don’t require as much attention. Instead, God has mingled the body parts together, giving greater honor to the “lesser” members who lacked it. [25] He has done this intentionally so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body. [26] In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices. [27] You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it.
Observation
We honor that which is greater, but in the upside down kingdom of God the “lesser” are given greater glory. When it comes to the church we honor the ‘successful’ churches, although I would say there are no successful churches, we have simply lowered the bar of success so a few can make it over and claim the prize of their success. God has made his people one body so the lessor can be honored and have life in the body. This is intentional for in the world the “lessor” are left to ‘die,’ but in God’s economy the lessor are to be cared to life, we are to look after all parts with “mutual concern.” Here is what the body of Christ is to look like – “there will be no division in the body.” What a travesty and a mockery we have made of God’s intention! When will we point our judgemental fingers at ourselves, as opposed to escaping judgement by pointing our fingers at others? “Whatever happens to one member happens to all. We don’t even know, let alone care for, the other members of our own body.
In “no division” we take responsibility for all parts, all tribes, all expressions, of the body. We share in rejoicing, we share in suffering. How far we are from God’s design, again what a disappointment that we operate more like the world than the design of God. The church, His body, in all our diversity should standout by the beauty of our oneness, the beauty of our care for all, the beauty of our mutuality. His body is meant to look like Him, reflect the image of the Trinity. The mutuality of love and blessing and generosity, this is what we His body are meant to mirror. How can we look at what we have created, and are perpetuating, and continue to lead, and not be deeply disappointed, and fall to our knees in repentance? What generation will take responsibility for this? When will we stop operating on a completely different paradigm to the one God has clearly, and without argument, declared to be the way of our being? How is it we can be so obstinate in our sinfulness, so unrepentant, so stuck in our worldly ways? God’s heart must break at what we are perpetuating and calling His. No wonder the world is uninterested, there is nothing to see here, no beauty here. The good news has been lost in the brokenness of the instrument of communication, His church. When will our hearts break along with His, maybe then we will pay the price of love and be the change that is required.
“You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it.” The body imagery is so obvious. The eye needs the foot, so obvious, no argument. Each is unique and vital. No wonder His body, we, are so deeply ineffectual at the task of discipling nations into His shalom, we operate without uniqueness and vitality that only a unified body can bring. The foolishness is outstanding! Our busyness at being a really good foot without any attention to being one with the eyes, is just straight out utter and tragic foolishness. But hey, why change what is terribly failing, even if you have clearly been given the blue print of design for success. I am being so deeply critical and judgemental of us, I feel the disappointment of God over us, praise and thank Him for His faithfulness, otherwise something so unfit for purpose would surely have passed into history by now.
Application
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop passing yourself off as something you are not. You are not His body, you are a broken, disjointed, hopelessly unfit body that does not reflect his being or his intended design. Start with accepting the reality for what we are responsible, move into Holy Spirit self awareness, then we can move to deep repentance, and then into His provision to move into His beautiful design, and as He has promised we will see the blessing of Heaven flow upon us. We even have experience of this in our history but we will NOT stop the foolishness, despite scripture, despite evidence, despite our dis-functionality, and unending ‘failure’ to be His intention. What will it take for us to STOP IT? Please Jesus show us how to STOP IT!
Response
Thank you for your faithfulness, we should have passed away into obscurity. Your message will never pass away but your church, when so disfigured is passing away, rather than being your glory, your beauty. Your faithfulness and mercy is so beautiful. I long to see your church as beautiful as you, one body, undivided in love, generosity and mutuality. How the beauty of your message will flow when the uniqueness and vitality of all the parts become beautifully one in their reflection of you. Thank you that you have made it absolutely clear of your intention for your body, thank you that one day a generation will see it in all its beauty, and then the world will know your love and your son.
Meditation
Meditate – there will be no division in the body.
Consider:
What part do I play in the disfigurement of the church of God?
Why do I find it so hard, dare I say impossible, to be part of the beauty of His body being restored? Why will I not pay my price?
JOURNEY DEEPER
