ADVENT DAY 14 (I Am a Member of His Church, the Body of Christ): Coming Together

Even though each of us is different, created unique by God and entrusted by Him with specific and difference gifts, through the power of His Spirit, He can bring us together for His purposes. 1st Corinthians 12 says this:
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

We have been brought into His body, with Jesus Christ as its Head. I'm reminded of what Paul declared, according to Acts 17, that "in Him we live and move and have our being."  So, if we, as fellow Christian believers, are following Jesus, our Head, moving as He moves, trusting in Him and walking in obedience, we can touch the world in a profound way. No wonder the enemy wants to divide us - we can't let that happen.  We have to be sensitive to the way that God desires to move through us.

+++++

Here on Day 14 in the Faith Radio Advent Guide, walking again this year through a 25-day spiritual "Advent-ure," we reflect on our position in Christ. This week, we've concentrated on the fact that our lives are His, that we belong to Him. He has declared us to be righteous, and we have been adopted into His family. He has placed us in an incredible organism that has the capability of changing the world - the body of Christ, the Church. Today's theme Scripture is found in Colossians chapter 1:
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Not only do our churches offer strong teachings and service opportunities, but they are places where we can build relationships and enjoy fellowship with one another.  A recent Movieguide article said this in a story about a recent survey:

...Americans value community. They want to have meaningful relationships with people who live near them. These values reflect humanity’s most basic need of companionship, something God created us for.

Not only did God create humanity in his own triune image, but in the Creation story, He also said it was not good for man to be alone and created a companion for Adam in Eve.

While American values are largely slipping away from Christian principles, God clearly put the need for companionship so deeply in humanity’s heart that no matter what, we cannot escape it.

The piece stated this, referencing a recent Pew Research survey, "over 90% of Americans agree that time with family is very important to them, and over 70% say it is one of the most important things."

The survey summary at Pew's website said that 50% of those surveyed said that "practicing your religious faith" was "very important," with 32% saying it was among the "most important" things. 

Movieguide also notes:

Beyond family, Americans also believe having close friends will help them live fulfilling lives. Six in 10 U.S. adults say that having close friends is important or extremely important for them. This heavily outranked having children (26%), having a lot of money (24%) or being married (23%).

Certainly, for many, times with family can be enjoyable and rewarding.  We can view our family members as gifts from God.  Some are awaiting holiday visits expectantly; unfortunately, others see the holidays as a stressful time because of strained or tense family relationships and have to depend on the Lord to help them through and perhaps even bring a measure of healing. 

The Church offers an opportunity for healing, as well. Ideally, Jesus has placed us in His body so that we can encourage one another, to share our burdens and realize that we are not walking through this life alone.  As Movieguide states, "These statistics reveal that Americans value community."  Because we have believed on the Lord, we have so much in common with fellow believers: we have a Savior, whom we love; we have a shared faith, with shared ideals.  The Bible illustrates for us how we can truly function as a body, loving one another, building relationships, and praying and working together for the glory of God.