Enjoying the Body
I know I've been negligent at the blog in the last month, but I think I have good reason this time...I have started writing a weekly post for a web site entitled Apropos Walk, and have been enjoying the opportunity to put my love for written word into a profitable exercise like that. If you'd like to check it out, you can find it here. I write the "Monday Musings" on a different topic each week.
The second, and more important reason I haven't taken the time to write is because of a stressful season in our family's life. Our youngest son just turned twenty in January. He is our special gift from God and has special needs. Partly connected to his developmental situation and partly due to a significant growth spurt in the last year, he needed to have a major back surgery about 2 weeks ago. Prior to that, our minds and hearts were pretty well consumed with the pending operation. We are now home and I am happy to report that he is making progress. We go for our 2 week post-op appointment on Monday and I'm looking forward to seeing what the surgeon has to say. It's been difficult to watch (including the 3 days in ICU after surgery), but God has been gracious and allowed us to watch Him do some delightful things.
All of that is to say that I have been reminded of the blessing of the body of Christ in the last little while. We have been the recipients of ministry that has helped to nourish our souls during these days. I wouldn't want to embarrass anyone with specifics, but folks stopped by to visit, gave us gifts of food and money to assist with our needs during my week off of work, prayed for us faithfully, communicated their concern for us, and generally loved on us in a way that allowed us to focus all of our attention on our little man during his surgery and the beginnings of his recuperation.
While we certainly tried to keep folks up on the progress during surgery and thereafter, most of the care we received was spontaneous in the sense that it wasn't a response to some particular expressed need. Rather, it was simply people following the leading of the Lord as they sought to minister to us.
One other thing I realized. We need to be like this all the time and we need to be more extensive in our care for each other than we realize. I have several other good friends who make no claim to be followers of Jesus and are not a part of a church family. They also were very concerned and demonstrated their concern in some very specific ways. I am grateful for their kindness.
Here's the challenge. In the gospel of John, Jesus is quoted as saying "by this shall all men know that you are my disciples; if you have love for one another." Have we relegated the "soul care" of our brothers and sisters to an add-on to the "important" stuff like knowing lots about the Bible, and "standing for truth?" Our love for each other and our willingness to go out of our way to demonstrate it should be first on the list. This is how those around us who do not follow Christ will know that we are followers of Jesus. Perhaps if we spent more time on this aspect of our relationships with each other, it would not be so difficult for our unchurched friends to believe what we say about our doctrinal stance or our position on moral issues...just a thought.
To those of you who follow this blog and have been among the ones who functioned toward us as the body of Christ; thank you. We are exceedingly grateful. God is good.
The second, and more important reason I haven't taken the time to write is because of a stressful season in our family's life. Our youngest son just turned twenty in January. He is our special gift from God and has special needs. Partly connected to his developmental situation and partly due to a significant growth spurt in the last year, he needed to have a major back surgery about 2 weeks ago. Prior to that, our minds and hearts were pretty well consumed with the pending operation. We are now home and I am happy to report that he is making progress. We go for our 2 week post-op appointment on Monday and I'm looking forward to seeing what the surgeon has to say. It's been difficult to watch (including the 3 days in ICU after surgery), but God has been gracious and allowed us to watch Him do some delightful things.
All of that is to say that I have been reminded of the blessing of the body of Christ in the last little while. We have been the recipients of ministry that has helped to nourish our souls during these days. I wouldn't want to embarrass anyone with specifics, but folks stopped by to visit, gave us gifts of food and money to assist with our needs during my week off of work, prayed for us faithfully, communicated their concern for us, and generally loved on us in a way that allowed us to focus all of our attention on our little man during his surgery and the beginnings of his recuperation.
While we certainly tried to keep folks up on the progress during surgery and thereafter, most of the care we received was spontaneous in the sense that it wasn't a response to some particular expressed need. Rather, it was simply people following the leading of the Lord as they sought to minister to us.
One other thing I realized. We need to be like this all the time and we need to be more extensive in our care for each other than we realize. I have several other good friends who make no claim to be followers of Jesus and are not a part of a church family. They also were very concerned and demonstrated their concern in some very specific ways. I am grateful for their kindness.
Here's the challenge. In the gospel of John, Jesus is quoted as saying "by this shall all men know that you are my disciples; if you have love for one another." Have we relegated the "soul care" of our brothers and sisters to an add-on to the "important" stuff like knowing lots about the Bible, and "standing for truth?" Our love for each other and our willingness to go out of our way to demonstrate it should be first on the list. This is how those around us who do not follow Christ will know that we are followers of Jesus. Perhaps if we spent more time on this aspect of our relationships with each other, it would not be so difficult for our unchurched friends to believe what we say about our doctrinal stance or our position on moral issues...just a thought.
To those of you who follow this blog and have been among the ones who functioned toward us as the body of Christ; thank you. We are exceedingly grateful. God is good.
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