"One Body... in Christ."

"I ask for the desire to pray and meditate for my community of faith.  I pray for Beth, James, Beth, Betty, Jo-Ann, Joy, Kim, Robert, Harvey, Joyce, Bud, Ria, Margaret, Win, Niki, Marj, Karen, Gail, Ross, Sandra, Dave, Wendy, Jo, Donna-Lynne, Ruth, Ross, Bethea, Linda, David, Syd, Karen, Bart, Maureen, Wendy, Terry, Rick, Rita, Elizabeth, Helen, Pat, Ken, Jenny, Carol, Judi, Andrew, Judy, and so many more. May we learn patience, tolerance, gentleness, compassion and empathy.  May we abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, arrogance, and self-centeredness.  May we know and follow Jesus more closely that we may seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly."


Romans 12:3-5
3 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 judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.


1) "...the grace given to me;" "...to think with sober judgement;" "...not all the members have the same function;" "...one body in Christ;" "...members one of another."


2) What comes to mind is how much I wish the final statement just wasn't the case sometimes.  "We are members of one another."  What is the best function of each member?  What is my best function?  Sometimes I feel like a very few of us are expected to perform all functions all the time.  And sometimes it feels we have a superabundance of some functions and way to few members able to perform other essential functions.  "each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."  It is confusing... and exhausting.


3) What is the invitation in all this?  To trust that the "assigning" is out of my control, but being done.  And if it is needed of us, it will be provided.


"Holy One, keep us mindful that we are one body with many parts."


"One body... in Christ."