Daily Devotion: Serving One Another

Scripture:
Romans 12: 3-8

Main Verse:
Romans 12: 4-5
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Observation:
There are times when I want to be alone. Especially, when I am doing arts and craft, I like staying in my room and just do my stuff by myself. I believe some of us also want to have what we call "me-time" sometimes, when we don't want to be bothered by anyone. But as Christians, we are not called to be loners. As Paul puts it in in verse 5 of Romans 12, we belong to each other and we have the responsibility to serve the body of Christ and be accountable for one another. As members of a church, we are called to perform different roles and functions. Without each member, the church will not function effectively. God has placed us in our church because we have a role to fulfill, which no other member may be able to fulfill.

Application:
I remember when I first came to Korea, I had a hard time looking for a church where I could grow spiritually. There were many Korean churches, but because my understanding of Korean language was very limited, I had a hard time understanding the sermons. So when I was finally invited to a Christian church where the sermon was in English and in Tagalog, I was ecstatic. I knew the Lord has led me to these people. Now, the Lord continues to bless me spiritually because He has given me the privilege to be able to hear the Word every Sunday and be discipled by a mentor!

We need to be thankful if we are part of a church. God uses the church and it's members to help us grow spiritually. We need each brother and sister, and as members we need to pray for one another so that each one can perform the function that God has assigned for us. And if a member is weak, let the stronger one encourage him. If a member is distressed, let the fortunate one help her. If a member is downcast, let the joyful one cheer him up. Let us keep in our mind that it's not about how the church can serve me, but how we can serve one another in church.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for revealing my purpose as a member of a church. Thank you for using the church to lead me and to help me in my spiritual journey. May I be able to serve others and encourage members who are distressed. May I serve the church without asking anything for return. May I glorify your name in all that I do. AMEN.