“Count Me In!”

Daily Devotional – Wednesday, August 3, 2022

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16, NLT)

Have you ever noticed that, no matter how large a congregation is, most of the work is done by a relatively small group of people? There can be multiple reasons for this. It may be that there is an expectation that the paid staff are to do the work…after all, what are they paid for? However, it can also be due to the fact that an established group has taken over ownership and, to ensure that things are done their way, newcomers are not given opportunities. Of course, there are also those who are simply content to enjoy the benefits of being part of the group without making any personal contributions.

Whatever the reason, it is not the way the Church is to work. The Holy Spirit gives each follower of Jesus a gift, or even multiple gifts, that are intended to be used for the benefit of the others…either within a congregation or other work being done by Jesus’ disciples. No one should be sitting on the sidelines and no one should be expected to do everything—whether that expectation originates in themselves or from others.

Many people walk through life wondering what their purpose is. Is their any point to this life? For those of us who have dedicated ourselves to following Jesus, Paul clearly tells us what our purpose is, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10). In the context of the Church, each and every Christian has good works to do for which they have been especially equipped. Maybe your good work is to teach, or maybe it’s to encourage. Your gift might be to boldly share your faith, or maybe it’s to work in the background behind the scenes. There are many gifts of the Spirit, but all share a common purpose—so that we may be able to help one another (1 Corinthians 12:7). So, let’s do that! Let’s help one another with our gifts, abilities and resources. We can only grow stronger in our love for God and for one another as we work together to fulfill his good plans.

Pastor Jane