Being The Body For The Unborn Bodies by Sade M. Patterson of Rio Rancho, NM
This morning in my study, I have been thinking a lot about how God uses us in different ways to complete His purpose in our lives. Through the letter of Corinthians, Paul gave a great analogy of the members of our body being our spiritual gifts for The Body-the Church.
“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:14-20
We all come from different backgrounds-some of us from stable homes, some from torn families. Some of us were encouraged to lead, and some of us were called to lead in the moment we never expected to lead. Despite our backgrounds, our circumstances, our sins, and our experiences, God makes it clear that we make up the Body-the Church- and are created for a great purpose. We each have a part in the body, just as the eyes, the ears, the arms, the legs, the head, the heart, and the brain do in the human body.
How does the individual body deal with injustices? If you think of when our life is in danger or someone we love is in danger, we use all of our strength and body to save ourselves or others. We run away from danger, we run to help others, we use our hands to give to the needy, our hearts convicts us to love, and we use our mind to solve problems. How does The Body of the Church deal with injustices? According to 1 Corinthians, it functions just like our individual bodies do. Maybe you are the hand that gives, someone else is the mind that comes up with strategies, others are the tongues that speak truth, etc.
When I think of the injustice of abortion, I wonder how the church is best using its body parts…Are we all allowing God to use us individually to function as one body, love women, and end abortion? I want to challenge you to search if God is leading you in this mission. Is He calling you to pray everyday for the end to abortion? Is He calling you to use your hands and give money to pro-life organizations or your time to volunteer? Is God calling you to speak loving words to women at abortion clinics and to abortion workers? Or even to speak to our youth to ignite a passion in their heart to join the mission? Is God calling you to open your home to a pregnant woman or to adopt a child in foster care?
What is God calling you to do? He calls all of us to something. Are we listening? Are we willing to be used for His glory?
This is a picture of Sade and her 9 month old baby Daniel. Sade is President of Students for Life. What a blessing to have Sade and precious Daniel with us here at FGGAM!