Remember the song, Dry Bones?
It’s basically talking about the connection of each bone to the next through the entire body:
The foot bone con-nected to the (pause) leg-.bone,
The leg bone connected to the (‘) knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the (‘) thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the (‘) back bone,
The back bone connected to the (‘) neck bone
The neck bone connected to the (‘) head bone
You get the idea.
Every bone has a connection to another. It’s how the body works. No part can function on its own without the strength, support and connection of the other parts.
There’s another way to view the inter-dependence of the body. It’s found in 1 Corinthians 12:12-20:
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
That’s us! If we have ONE HEAD (Jesus), then we are all part of the same BODY. ONE BODY. Lots of parts, with lots of functions, strengths, gifts and abilities, but ONE BODY.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 – There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
This week I met with the Ministries Coordinator at our church. After talking together for over an hour and her asking about my journey of life and where God has taken me, what He has taught me and the opportunities He has afforded me, she asked me a question. If I could do ANYTHING for this group of people, this “body of believers” at Blue Oaks Church, what would it be?
I told her that I would fill in any gaps that were most needed in this young church, thinking that they are still experiencing “holes” that need filling. She stopped me right then and there. She said that it’s their goal to be completely intentional in finding out how God has gifted people and putting them in positions of service that fit their abilities, their passions and their vision of ministry. They aren’t just putting random people in random places to fill a need. They are truly meeting with individuals, finding out what “body part” they are and helping them find the ministry that God intended them to have. The ministry where they will be most effective, but also fulfilled because they will be right where they’re supposed to be. In their “thriving position”.
The “foot” walking. The “hand” giving. The “mouth” speaking. The “ear” listening. The “shoulders” bearing.
And each and every one of those parts is connected. Dependents upon the others for full function. For health. For support and strength.
After our wonderful conversation, my answer was clear. Those “whispers” in my ear as to what God has next for my ministry opportunities now have a place to take root and grow. A home church to support the calling on my heart.
This is not a solo act. This is an ensemble. We are meant to do this together.
After all,
The foot bone con-nected to the (pause) leg-.bone,
The leg bone connected to the (‘) knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the (‘) thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the (‘) back bone,
The back bone connected to the (‘) neck bone
The neck bone connected to the (‘) head bone
Yep.
