Find your place in the body of Christ (1)

When it comes to finding a church home, your options are unlimited. Traditional, contemporary, you name it—you can probably find it! But your individual place in the body of Christ is another matter entirely; that’s not determined by you, but by God. The Bible says, “By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body” (v. 13 NKJV). When you accept Jesus as your Saviour, you become a member of His redeemed family and a “miracle of placement” takes place in you. It isn’t a choice you get to make; it’s God’s choice—and it determines your spiritual identity. Paul said, “Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body…The old labels we…used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive” (v. 13 MSG). That means anybody anywhere in the world who names Jesus as their Saviour and Lord is more connected to you than your hand is to your wrist. And you have a role to play in relation to each and every one of them. God not only placed you in His body, He determined your unique role when He arranged “the parts…just as he wanted them to be” (v. 18 NIV). He also gave you certain “gifts,” and He expects you to use them to fulfill His purposes (see Romans 12:6-8). When you ask God to show you your gifts, He will. And when He does, you must take every opportunity to use them for His glory.