Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

Romans 12:1-8 (NRSV)

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

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Reflect

I am at a loss to know how to express accurately and fully the immense and amazing blessing of going to Colombia for General Assembly last year. And likewise, the blessing of General Assembly in Chattanooga as both the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America denominations met together. Part of the beauty of our Presbyterianism is that we are a connectional church, one body with many parts. Our little denomination is a microcosm of the Christian Church as a whole. Even in our little part of the big body of Christ we are many. We are many more than the number in our local congregations, presbyteries, and synods. We are many more than those who gather for General Assembly. We only get to see a few of the representatives of presbyteries and councils from all over the world!

Sometimes, we may feel inadequate to do what God is calling us to do because we see how small we are compared to other denominations or even the mega churches around us. However, we are part of the body and have a particular function. Jesus only had a few disciples. Look at what they were able to do. When we all work together we can become who God created us to be. We who are many are one.

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Pray

Thank you, God, for making us a part of the larger body of Christ. Thank you for the many parts that make up the body of Christ. We ask you to continue to help us to come together and be the one global church you have called us to be. Amen.

Go with God.