“For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.” (I Corinthians 3:9 NLT)
Many of you have played the game where you stack a number of wooden blocks, building a tower. There are usually multiple players that play, contributing to the building of the structure. Players construct their tower carefully, attentively, patiently, and as skillfully as possible to prevent their building, WIP (Work-In-Progress), from collapsing, partially or totally. While there is fun and excitement, the players are always aware that any one of them could cause the tower to fall. So, players are also deliberate and demonstrate a high degree of devotion. There is no competition with other people who have the similar game. It is just those assembled together, by choice, to construct their unique tower.
Now, in the game I just mentioned, there is another phase where the players must dismantle the structure, piece by piece, again without causing a collapse. That’s part of that particular game, but not part of my analogy today. I’m sticking with the building part.
Each one of us, are part of God’s building. If you don’t believe me, read the opening verse again. You are part of the “we” in the verse. As part of God’s building, you are a pertinent piece, perfectly placed to help the church stand, both the local and the universal church. Similar to playing the game, keeping in mind church is not a game, you and I have to do all we can to keep it from collapsing, partially or in the case of a local church, totally. And since God’s building is constantly being built, we have to demonstrate the same degree of carefulness, attentiveness, patience, and use our skills to add on to the building. Each of us should be members devoted to taking the building to higher heights, we must be deliberate and demonstrate a high degree of devotion.
Let’s speak to the local church that you belong to. There is no competition, or at least there should not be, with other churches. So, focus wholeheartedly and sacrificially to help the building project that you are a part of by virtue of your membership. And listen! Do not remove yourself! Do not remove yourself by skipping out, stepping back, staying away, or by drifting and being deceived by the forces of wickedness, but stay where the Lord has placed you and be the unique piece you are, equipped with the gift He has blessed you with. Yes, you have a gift. The list below is not an exhaustive list but consider it and then look at some other lists of gifts in the scriptures. Have a tremendously, great Thursday! But remember, “Don’t remove yourself!” You are needed! If you have been pulling away from the building, now is the day to commit to ensuring that the building does not experience a partial collapse. A complete collapse is possible with a local church. But with the universal church, not even the gates of hell shall prevail again the Lord’s church. So, my friend, take this meditation serious and focus on the building of YOUR local church of which you belong. Make sure your fingerprints are on all the work being done for the glory of God. Share this meditation with somebody! Be blessed!
“Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are his. The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; someone else may be especially good at studying and teaching, and this is his gift from the same Spirit. He gives special faith to another, and to someone else the power to heal the sick. He gives power for doing miracles to some, and to others power to prophesy and preach. He gives someone else the power to know whether evil spirits are speaking through those who claim to be giving God’s messages—or whether it is really the Spirit of God who is speaking. Still another person is able to speak in languages he never learned; and others, who do not know the language either, are given power to understand what he is saying. It is the same and only Holy Spirit who gives all these gifts and powers, deciding which each one of us should have.” (I Corinthians 12:4-11 The Living Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King