Broken

       There is a part of my body laying on the floor next to me.  It has been ripped out, my wound is bleeding and it throbs.  It isn't my heart, because I feel it aching in my chest, but nonetheless, it is a part of me.  I don't want to function without it, and certainly won't be complete without it, but there it lies no longer a part of me.

 

       I want to pick it up and put it back where it belongs.  I want to feel completely whole again, but that is not to be for now at least.  Ah, you say, it must not be an important part of you for you have not died for loss of it.  But the gaping wound pours out my life blood and if it is not stemmed by the grace and love of my Lord, I will surely die.

 

       Right now there is a gaping wound in my local church body.  It throbs in pain and spills its blood in the community.  Many are walking around now incomplete, like they have suffered tragic loss, and truly, we all have had a loss of one type or another, or many.

 

For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 1Cr. 12:12
And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (v.21)

 

       Though I cannot get into specifics, I will say that it is easy to be disappointed in our brothers and sisters and we must work hard to keep from being offended.  We need to remember our own weaknesses, that we also fail and disappoint others in our words and actions, and so we should show mercy on one another.  In difficult times where a particular body is hurting, wounded and bleeding, we must show more care for each and every person while yet speaking God's truth, as always, IN LOVE (Ep. 4:15).
 

 

       May the church NEVER be like the soldiers in some wars that went out after the battle to kill every wounded enemy on the field.  Our brothers and sisters are NOT our enemy (even when we believe they err in some matters of faith or judgment) but our fellow soldiers (2Tm. 2:3,4) in Christ Jesus.  We must fight the good fight (1Tm. 6:12) while remaining as one in Christ Jesus, and love each other as Jesus loves us. 

 

...members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it... 1Cr. 12:25,26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gl. 3:26
...for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (v.28)
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another. Jh. 13:34
...with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ep. 4:2,3
Do not let each man look upon his own things, but each man also on the things of others. Php. 2:4

When broken- remember,



He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds.Ps. 147:3

Jehovah is near to the broken-hearted;

and saves those who are of a contrite spirit. Ps. 34:18