My place

I am at the moment preparing to teach a class.  Part of the lesson will be to teach new members that they have a perfect fit in the Body of Christ.  In this lesson, I will be using the classic "Puzzle and each person is a piece that fits in only one place within the puzzle" example.  During the preparation for this class, I realized that we tend to focus on where we belong in the Body of Christ, always seeking to move up, in what we consider to be our purpose.  We focus on "ourselves" and where "we:" belong.

God's focus is on "us" and our eyes should always be set on Him, relationship.  Whenever our eyes leave Him and move to us, we have our perspective and motive all wrong.  We may be going through the right motions, but is our heart right?

What happens when a finger is cut off from the body?  The body and head still function, but the finger withers and dies.  What happens when a leg or arm is amputated?  The body and head, although it must compensate, still function, but the limb withers and dies.  What happens when one is paralyzed from an accident?  The  body and head, with the aid of proper equipment, continues to function, despite it's hinderances.  The affected parts of the body become lifeless and useless, but the rest moves forward to live a full life.

What I have learned through this is that we are placed within the Body of Christ, not for Him, but for us.  His desire is that not even one shall perish.  When we do not plug in, and function with the head and the rest of the body, we wither and die spiritually.

 I have even seen people who are paralyzed from the neck down, who still continue to function, even though the head is all that works properly.  The rest of the body is compensated and carried through.  Regardless of whether we take our place in the body of Christ.  The Head, Christ, will still fulfill that which is prophesied.  He is still coming.  He may have to compensate for the body that is now hindered, but He will fulfill His part.

His desire, is that we are with Him, and functioning with our eyes on Him.  I want to be able to here Him say, "Yes, I KNOW you", when that time comes.  I want to develop a relationship with a real, and loving Father, who desires even more to have one with me.  It is because He first loved us, that we love Him.