Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).
I read Watchman Nee’s book, Assembling Together, years ago. I have always remembered the following excerpt from it:
You may be an eye, a mouth, a hand, a foot, or whatever, in the body. An eye is very useful to the body, but if it is left at home, it is useless. A hand joined to the arm is effective, but it will be ineffective if put in a glass container. A foot fitly framed in the body is of great service, but what will it be worth if it is left upstairs?
The body is such that no member may be severed from it and remain useful. The relationship of each part to the other is most direct and intimate.
If you were to visit a house and see a leg on the table, a hand under the chair, and an ear on the floor, you would never visit that house again. How repugnant it would be to pick up a hand, a mouth, a nose, an eye, or an ear from off the road.
The body of Christ cannot be separated.
Neither the ear nor the hand nor the foot can angrily declare its independence. No, all the members of the body must be joined together in one.
The Lord has not given to any one person the whole fullness of life. The life we receive does not allow us to be independent, for our life is dependent on the life of others. It is a dependent life: I depend on you and you depend on me.
Do remember that no member can afford to be independent, for independence means certain death. Isolation takes away life as well as fullness.
Questions to consider:
- Has COVID, and other events, separated or united the church?
- Is this the result of the evil one prowling about?
- How have you separated from the body of Christ in the past year?