Ephesians 2:19-22 (NASB) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
My husband and I enjoy going to garage sales. Our house is full of inexpensive, unique treasures. Some of my favorites are the old-fashioned wooden phone and ceramic windmill that are on my desk and a cast iron kneeler from Iowa. The other day my husband picked up a nice-looking butcher block cutting board which promptly fell apart into several pieces when I washed it. The individual blocks are now gathered in a basket waiting for me to either put them back together or throw them in the burn barrel.
Individual Christians and church bodies can be like that butcher block cutting board. As children of God, we have all the pieces we need to withstand the cuts of this world – providing the pieces are correctly and securely connected. As individuals, we need to ask God to help us fit the pieces of our lives together in a properly functioning manner. As church bodies, we need to seek His direction as each heart is moved into its correct place. Finally, whether an individual believer or an entire body, it isn’t enough to just get it all straight. The compound glue of love, faith and truth is necessary to thoroughly secure a good, proper fit.
I recently wrote a devotion called ‘You Do Not Know’ about seeing my heart as it really was regarding my schizophrenic brother. For years I had a level of animosity towards my brother, but because he lived far away it was out of sight and out of mind. God brought another person into my life and made me face my feelings and attitudes head on. As I shared in the devotion, Jesus helped me deal with an area of dry-rot in my life. I shared how He brought about a huge change in the attitudes of my heart.
My pastor always reads the devotions before they go to the church website. While we briefly commented on it, I shared something that bothered me. “It isn’t complete,” I said of the work God did in my heart. “When my brother was dying, I could not go see him. In all honesty, I was relieved that I could not go.”
The thought troubled me the remainder of the day and throughout the night, as it did back in that time frame. This morning, the very first thought that I recall pondering was, “Are you spiritually fit?” The second thought; “I guess not. There is more to deal with still.”
I no longer feel animosity towards my brother. He passed away after God did a significant work in my heart. However, as of the time of his death, stress levels persisted; The blocks were back in place, but something was missing in the glue. Perfect love casts out fear, and while fear and stress are not totally
synonymous, they are similar in nature. I love, but my love wasn’t perfect then and while it has grown and strengthened, I cannot call it perfect yet. I am far more spiritually fit than I previously was, but not as spiritually fit as God wants me to be. It is such an important matter to deal with. All I know to do is to
exercise what love, truth and faith God has already poured into me through consistent use and to keep asking and trusting Him for more. How else can the pieces of my life be built up in a worthy manner? How else will I fit securely and function correctly in the body of Christ?