May 26

“And he is the head of the body, the church…” — COLOSSIANS 1:18

Sometimes I hear people imply, “Christ, I love - the church, I don’t”. That is a false dichotomy! The church is the body of Christ. If you love Christ, you must love His church. It is His bride and His body, and He loves it. Effective Christian ministry depends on love. It is what gives the church its cutting edge and what changes us and makes us significant.

A dynamically functioning church is a church built upon the person of Jesus Christ. Every Christian is baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body, and shares the life of the Spirit of God, so that we may play an active role in His work in this world. All that God wants to do from heaven He does through His church, using ordinary people. Being an effective Christian means being a part of His church. If we’re not involved with the people of God and the work of God, our spiritual lives are likely to dry up.

God made us who we are for a reason that is designed to bring enrichment to other people. He has uniquely gifted each of us to be used in the Church of Jesus Christ. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we choose not to use our God-given gifts. Our different strengths and weaknesses are what make us mutually dependent on one another and fruitful. We can either be channels for God or blockages.

A mark of spiritual maturity is not being threatened by what we can’t do, nor arrogant about what we can. We need to be secure in both, dependent on Christ and each other. The church was never intended to function with a few at the top, but with everyone working together to reach the world for Christ. There is no freedom to seek our own agendas. It is God’s will and purpose we seek to accomplish, and when our gifts are used for His glory, we participate in the work of Christ’s church.

We cannot separate Christ from His church. If we have a heart for Christ, then we need a heart for His church.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for the community of believers I am a part of. I pray for your continued blessings, and that I am able to enrich others, as I have been enriched by them.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I an active participant in the church I attend and, if so, how has that enriched my walk with God?