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Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 12:1-13:13.

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose” (1 Corinthians 12:18).

This is great to know. The nose is exactly where God wanted the nose. The hands are exactly where God wanted the hands. The eyes exactly where God wanted them. So to the feet, the knees, the elbows, the head, the ears, the neck, etc. God designed our bodies and put everything exactly where He wanted them.

But Paul isn’t really talking about bodies is he? No. He’s actually talking about congregations. How easy it is to get bogged down because I think someone else does something better than me. How easy it is to think I don’t really belong. Not so. I don’t have to despair that I’m useless in Christ’s church. God has placed me in the body exactly where He wants me. There is something I’m uniquely suited to do within this body that is necessary and important.

I can have joy today knowing God has me where He wants me to accomplish something that I can do. He is not interested in me accomplishing what I can’t. He is not interested in me accomplishing what you can do (necessarily). He has put me here to accomplish what He has made me to do. Instead of quiting, giving up, or despairing because of comparisons, I can glorify God by doing what I can and knowing God has me here to do just that.

Praise God for His confidence in me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Philippians 1:1-2:30.

Sometimes, I learn that the chapter and verse breaks were simply unfortunate. In today’s reading, I noticed a pattern from Philippians 1:27-2:18. Prior to that section, Paul was talking about his own circumstances and how he was able to find joy despite what was going on his life. After that section, he wrote about the companions he hoped to send to Philippi. It would have been easier to notice this if this section had been a chapter all by itself.

In this section, he has two parallel movements. Notice in Philippians 1:27 his statement about how the Philippians should walk whether he is present or absent. Then in Philippians 2:12, he spoke again about how they should live whether he was present or absent. The first occurrence says they should stand firm, striving side by side for the faith of gospel. Fighting as a team, they should not be frightened by the opponents who will cause them to suffer just as Paul suffered. In the second occurrence, Paul encourages them to obey God and work out their salvation with fear and trembling because they are not alone, God is working with them.

However, the parallels do not stop here. In the first movement, Paul moves from talking about how they should behave whether he is present or absent to say in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit.” In the second movement, he moves from talking about how to live whether he is present or absent to saying in Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.”

Both sections are talking about our relationships with one another. We need to view each other as more important. Instead of being like those erring brethren in Philippians 1:15-18, who preach out of rivalry with Paul wishing to cause him affliction, we must seek good for each other. We must not grumble and complain against each other. The terms translated “grumbling” and “questioning” often carry the idea of an internal complaint or questioning that is not voiced, but can also refer to private quarrels and complaints. I think the point is twofold. We shouldn’t “go along” with our brethren externally while muttering under our breath against them. At the same time, we must not clump together in secret groups forming up party lines and complaining secretly among ourselves against others.

This entire section is about our relationships with one another. In contrast with the conceited rivals of Paul, we must learn to get along. The “one mind” of Philippians 2:2 is not saying we must have 100% agreement on every detail, but that we must all have Jesus’ mind that puts others first.

We have enemies in the world that will attack and make us suffer. We shouldn’t act like enemies within the body, competing, politicizing, complaining, and grumbling. We must learn to love each other and lift each other up, working out our own salvation while strengthening our brethren to face the struggles Satan will launch our way.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?