Life Journal, December 5, 2008
Today's readings: Ephesians 1-4

A Healthy Body

Scripture

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body, and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.....

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Ephesians 4.1-6, 11-16

Observation

The Church should be busy doing the work God has called them to do--loving and serving--creating a healthy, growing body.

Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)

I read these verses and think about how different most churches could look if they did what the Great Physician told them to rather than take such poor care of themselves.They would be healthy and growing, rather than unhealthy and dying.

So, what is my role--can I make a difference. Yes. Each thing that is changed will help the whole body. Each one who get healthier and makes healthy choices will help the body to become what God has called us to be.

It is not easy--we have to say "NO!" to ourselves and our desires . . . . and most of us don't like to do that. But, it is the only way the body can get healthy. And it has to be healthy if we want it to grow and be what God has called us to be.

So today, I will seek the guidance and advice of the Great Physician. I will make the necessary life changes so that I can do my part to make the Body healthy--so it can grow and give honor and glory to God.

Prayer

Father God, today may I follow Your way and do the things that You want me to do so that I can become spiritually healthy. I would pray that You would work in each area of Your body to bring health and wholeness and an overflow of love.