the Body....

I got it, I finally got it! I mean the light bulb has gone off and I understand now! Aren't you just as excited? Oh, wait you don't know what I am talking about do you? Okay...let's begin.
Please read the following scriptures.
1 Corinthians 12:11-31

¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Unity and Diversity in One Body

 ¹² For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many.
¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸ But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. ¹⁹ And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
²⁰ But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³ And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴ but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, ²⁵ that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The body of Christ is similar to a marriage. "You are the body of Christ, and members individually" (vs 27 above). Your body needs each of it's members to live a pretty normal life. A marriage  or church is the same way. Christ is head of the church and should be head of a marriage. So, when one of the members (spouses) is not functioning right, it divides the unity of the church (marriage). Not every member is going to be able to be able to perform every task because God is the one that gives the functions (vs 28). In my previous marriages, I expected my spouse to do certain things as I was expected to do certain things, why? Because "that's the way my mother always did it."
Now I realize that it wasn't up to me or him to say what our roles were in the marriage, it was up to God to give us our functions. We were to belong to Him and allow Him to be the head of our "church" or "marriage."
When God was taken out of the schools we began to see a trend of failure and division within the school systems. It's the same with our church, family, and marriages, isn't it?
When God is not the center focus of our reasons for attending church, praying as family, or inviting Jesus into our marriages there is chaos, destruction, and ultimately death.
I am ever so repentive for desiring to have my way in many of these areas of my life. I wasn't the "member" I should have been.
Now, I am placing Jesus as head of the body (marriage and family) and having my focus on God as the center of my life. As God desires the body to be united and oneness of heart that is my desire too. Last, as I accept God's perfect love, I am able to love others as I love myself.
I stopped praying for a local church because I didn't hear the Lord give me the words I needed for them. Now, I know how to pray for all our churches that are struggling. I see people moving from church to church. I am not condemning anyone on their walk. Jesus is everywhere, but if we cannot love one another, edify one another when we fall, allow God to use our talents where we are at, then are we really Christ centered?
One last thought. If the members of the body should have equal concern for one another, then what are we portraying as we leave our partner (pastor, spouse, family member) in the fire? Are we truly part of the body of Christ or part of something opposite?
I want the road less traveled and the way God intended it.

~Marjorie