Craig Clouston

 

Being the Body

December 15

The body is one unit...its parts should have equal concern for each other.

1Corinthians 12:12, 25

Rachel had been chosen by her professor as the perfect candidate for an expeditionary assignment to Alaska. Everything had gone according to plan until her return trip home. Currently laid up in a hotel room in Seattle, Washington, due to the onset of an unexpected illness, Rachel was suffering alone, separated by thousands of miles from anyone she knew. Due to the H1N1 pandemic no airline would allow her to fly while still displaying symptoms. She would be in Seattle for at least another forty-eight hours.

When word reached her hometown church, Pastor Don naturally felt led to reach out. Checking the online registry for Assemblies of God in the Seattle area, he found one within a mile of Rachel’s hotel. Picking up the phone, he called and spoke to the secretary, explaining the situation. She assured him she would get a message to her pastor, who was having vehicle problems, as soon as she could.

An hour later, Pastor Don received a call from the Seattle pastor. Through their subsequent conversation he assured Don that he and his wife would go to the hotel and minister to each of Rachel’s needs, taking care of her until she was on a flight home.

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Christ’s Church is an organism with many parts meant to function as a unified body. Today’s story is one such way we show that kind of love.

I believe that had Pastor Don not been able to find an Assemblies of God near Rachel’s hotel he could have called on any of the other numerous denominations within the area for help, and received it.

Paul’s explanation of Christ’s Body in today’s text is one of complete inclusion. It does not single out Gentile or Jew, denomination or creed.

Jesus isn’t concerned with where we’re from, only that we’re being His hands and feet. It is without question that we are to put aside our differences in hopes of finding a greater purpose under One banner.

God says, “You are all My children. Love one another.” John 13:34

“Prayer”

“Lord Jesus, may You find in me a willingness to consider all believers my brothers and sisters, with the same concern for everyone, regardless of denomination or creed. Amen.”