Standing in the gap - Strengthening the body of Christ (re-print)

If one part of the body (of Christ) suffers, then the whole body suffers, so sometimes we may need to stand in and support each other to make the body strong again.

Julie Roach

‘What have we got in common with a dry stone wall?’ is a question I asked myself as I added the picture to the right to my social media profile. I took the photo recently whilst on holiday and I was struck once more at the skill of the people that build these walls. What at first glance may appear to be a randomly constructed pile of stones is in fact an intricate and well thought-out structure. As we continued our walk, a little further, we saw a gentleman who was in the process of re-building part of the wall.  I noticed that he quickly, but carefully felt the stones to find just the right one to put in the gap. He continued, even as he talked with us and the wall took shape surprisingly quickly.

In order to answer my question; ‘What have we got in common with a dry stone wall?’ at this point, I am like one of those stones right in the middle of the top row. Can you see where I mean? There are two stones leaning vertically into the middle, one is leaning to the right and the other to the left. In the middle there are two stones lying down horizontally, resting on the wall below them. The lower of the two horizontal stones is holding the two rows of vertical stones apart: and then there is me, the small one on top of it; acting as ‘a filler’, bridging the gap and playing just a small but significant part in strengthening the whole wall. Every component in the wall is significant and without any one of those stones the wall would be weaker and lose its strength. If a number of components were missing then when bad weather comes the wall would struggle and break down into disrepair.

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My point is that we all need each other and we need to value the part that both we and others play. If we were all the same: size, shape, skill set, age, character etc. then just like the wall would not have the same strength and the storms of life could break us into pieces. This is also the case for the unity and diversity of the body of Christ; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 ‘Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many’. God’s word then goes onto tell us why each of us are important and significant in the body of Christ; 1 Corinthians 12:17-20 ‘If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body'. 

Each and every one of us who accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour has a contribution to make to ensure that the body of Christ functions effectively. If one part of the body suffers, then the whole body suffers, so sometimes, just like the stones in a dry stone wall, we may need to stand in and support each other to make the body strong again.

As someone committed to facilitating children/adults to become the best that they can be: and as I strive to continually become the best I can be myself at any given time, I am extremely grateful that I have a diverse group of people around me that all act as stones in the wall. Each of us is prepared to fulfil our purpose in the group and in doing so we are also strengthening the body of Christ by loving and supporting each other.

So what have you got in common with a dry stone wall?  God tells us that we are important; Psalm 139:13-14 ‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well’. Just like the stones in a dry stone wall; without YOU the body of Christ would not be as strong and the people you interact with would miss out on the qualities that make you unique. May God bless you richly in making your contribution and fulfilling your role in the body of Christ. Praise God.

Author: Julie Roach

May God bless and enrich your life

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Abraham’s Faith, God’s Plan

Like us Abraham wasn’t perfect, he made loads of mistakes and got things wrong, but God saw his heart.

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Romans 4 talks about Abraham’s faith in the face of impossibilities and gives us an amazing example of how we should live our lives with God.

So, I want to look at some verses in this chapter and consider what we might learn from the for our daily walk with God.

In verse 3 it says - What does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Firstly, Paul refers to the scriptures, this is always a safe place to start, which say that ‘Abraham believed God’. Note: it doesn’t say Abraham believed in God, but that he believed God which is why it was then credited to him as righteousness. How quickly do we turn to the scriptures and how much do we take them on board and do what they say? In other words, do we believe God for the possible when all we see is the impossible?

Paul goes on to talks about work and faith and then quotes the scriptures again from Psalm 32:1-2 where David says ‘Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.’

Do you know whether you feel like it or not, if you know Christ you are truly blessed. Paul then talks about this blessedness being for the circumcised and the uncircumcised, that is both Jew and Gentile. But very importantly in verses 13 to 15 Paul explains that this righteousness does not come through the law but by faith.

Verses 16 and 17 explain this really well but look at how verse 17 finishes off:

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. (NIV. Underline added)

Paul says that God calls things into being that don’t exist. So, what we can’t see God can. Abraham knew this truth and so believed God. Look at what verse 18 says ‘Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 

Against all hope! Abraham in hope! 'Believed.' What a challenge for each one of us, when we’re up against it and all looks lost, will we nevertheless, in hope, believe?

How does Paul say he did this? Verses 19 - 21 tells us. 

Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Abraham saw with his eyes the desperate situation he and Sarah were in, but I love what it says at the end of verse 20 and 21 ‘but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

How was his faith strengthened? In his situation he gave glory to God because he was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised. WOW!!

Paul then tells us in verse 22 - 'This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”'

Was this righteousness just for Abraham? No! It’s for us too.

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Paul finishes Romans 4 with this declaration: verses 23-25 'The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.'

Like us Abraham wasn’t perfect, he made loads of mistakes and got things wrong, but God saw his heart. Right from the minute God called Abraham to leave his home and just go, God had a plan and Abraham believed Him for that plan, even against ‘All hope’. God also has a plan for our lives, will we believe Him even when we’re faced with what looks like complete hopelessness?

We are living in the most dangerous and the most exciting times in history. How we look at these times will determine how we walk with God. We can look at all that’s going on in this world and fall into hopelessness, or we can look up and believe that we’re living in His-story, give glory to Him and be fully persuaded that He's able to do what He's promised.

May God bless you with believing that He has the power to do all that He has promised. Walk in faith child of God and be blessed. Amen.

Author: Kevin Hunt

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