Do you remember what it was like to go through puberty? Suddenly your clothes didn’t fit right anymore. You tripped over your own feet and bumped into doorways, because your body wasn’t where you expected it to be. And you had to learn to deal with a flood of new feelings and experiences as mind and body both made the passage to adulthood. Shyness, frustration, worry about the future—it’s a hard time to live through, even when people tell you what to expect.
In today’s reading, Paul is describing God’s vision for the Christian church. We are Christ’s body even now, and when we come to full maturity, we will have as much variety among us as there is in the whole human race—men, women, and children, old and young, from every race and tribe and nation under heaven. And we all have different gifts and different roles to play. But we have one Head, Jesus Himself; and we follow Him in love. And when we are full-grown, we will be in perfect harmony, both with Him and with each other.
But we’re not there yet. At this point in time, the church doesn’t look like the glorious creation she will be on the Last Day when Jesus comes to bring us into God’s kingdom! We have arguments and controversies. Some of our members are all too loud, while others never speak up, or get drowned out. Some of us are overworked and others are barely using their gifts at all. Things don’t work together smoothly. It’s easy to get discouraged as we look at the church in the world.
It will be all right. Jesus is our Head now as He has always been. He brought us into being when He gave Himself for us—laying down His own life on the cross and then rising from the dead three days later. And for what? As the song in Revelation says, “Worthy are You … for You were slain, and by Your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a Kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).
It will be all right. Just as Jesus bought us and redeemed us, so He will also remake us, so that we will live as one body in truth, loving one another and serving God with humility and gentleness and joy and everlasting peace. God has promised, and He will make it happen.
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, when I get discouraged about the church, bring my eyes back to You—and help me to trust You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What makes you most discouraged about the Christian church?
2. What makes you most hopeful?
3. What job do you think God is calling you to do as a member of the body of Christ right now?