Day 16 of 30: Finding Home

Each and everyone of us have a fit, a perfect fit in the body of Christ, the church.  How do you choose a church?  How do you know if you are in the right church?  

I am not talking about denomination, I am talking about how you choose a church to attend.  

Is the church in a convenient locations?  Do my children love the children's church teacher?  Is the church close to home?  Are the services short or long?  Do any friends attend the church?  These are the qualifications people often use to choose a church.  

"...God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence."  Ephesians 1:20-23 The Message 

Each one of us has a place in the body of Christ to find and fill.  He calls, equips, and anoints each member of the body of Christ to serve in his/her proper place.  

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."  Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV 

We each have a place where we belong.  Imagine putting together an old fashioned jigsaw puzzle.  Empty out the pieces from the box first.  We locate the corners, and put them in their place.  

Next, we locate the sides (the edges) and put them together, each in their perfectly prepared position.  

Finally, the middle, and getting each piece in its proper place.  As we put this puzzle together we have the full picture on the top of the box to view to help us put it together.  

Each piece only has one place in which it fits.  Each piece can only fit in one direction.  And, every piece must be in place to consider the puzzle complete.  


How does this apply to the body of Christ?  We each have a place in which to fit, just like the puzzle pieces.  And sometimes we try to fit in the wrong place, and it just doesn't work out very well for us.  We belong in another place in the puzzle that is perfectly designed for us.  

Below are scriptures to read, and meditate upon.  Pray about your perfect fit into the church, and for understanding of your role in the body of Christ as you read the following scriptures.  How do these scriptures describe and apply to the body of Christ and your role within it?

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many. 

1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body? 

1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body. 

1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 

1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 

1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 

1Co 12:24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 

1Co 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

1Co 12:26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

1 Peter 2:5

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

Ps 92:13-14

Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 

Psa 92:14  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;