All Out of Shape?
A fitness craze has been sweeping America for several decades now. People who once thought themselves to be all out of shape are getting into shape. Fitness centers have been popping up everywhere. TV ads and promotions for fitness equipment, nutritional supplements; you name it, it’s out there waiting to be had. Please don’t misunderstand me, I truly recognize the need for being healthy and fit. I know we have allowed ourselves to “veg-out” which has created a great deal of physical ailments in people everywhere.
How often do we think about the condition of the church? Has the church gotten all out of shape? How often do we recognize that the “Body of Christ,” His Church, needs to be fit—physically, mentally, spiritually. When one part of the church gets “out of whack,” the entire body follows suit. When one part refuses to do their part, fulfill their role, be involved as they should—the whole body suffers. The church is suffering today because it has gotten out of shape.
An out of shape church is nothing new. Paul addressed this situation in 1 Corinthians 12. He wrote: “So the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,’ in spite of this it still belongs to the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,’ in spite of this it still belongs to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted” (1 Corinthians 12:14-18 HCSB).
Many have shirked their responsibility to their church by failing to utilize their gifts and talents for the ongoing ministry of that church. Many churches are out of shape because the pastor and staff take care of all the church ministries—failing to allow the remainder of the body to act. And, finally, there are those churches whose pastors have failed to understand their role of “training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12 HCSB), opting rather to take care of as much of the church as they personally can, while allowing other parts to get all out of shape because they can’t handle it all.
There is a big world out there that needs to be reached with the Gospel of Jesus. When we allow ourselves to get out of shape by failing to do our part, we hinder the spread of the Gospel and fail to reach those GOD has called us to reach. Christians have a responsibility that they will be held accountable by GOD for. Too many have shirked that responsibility and today the church is grossly out of shape. It’s time to step up to the plate, discover your gifts and talents and put them into service. If your church is failing to encourage the use of your gifts, maybe you need to consider finding one that will allow you to? Time is short, eternity is long. Let’s get busy for GOD!
Scripture Reading: “If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15 HCSB).
Prayer: Father, I know I have not been all I need to be for my church. I realize there is so much more still to be done. I pray You open my eyes to see all that You have for me to be doing and give the me the strength, willingness and ability to fulfill my role. I pray for my pastor and our church that we will be all you have called us to be and help us to make an impact where You have placed us. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Preacher Danny's Truth for Today 