Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (v. 11).
Radical individualism is arguably the most deeply held belief of the majority of Americans. The solitary hero strides boldly across the pages of our history, literature, and mythology, most often hacking out a living in a dangerous wilderness populated by savage weather, animals, and people. Though the wilderness is now largely settled, we still want to live by this core belief. A few years ago the U.S. Army tried to tap into this sentiment with the campaign slogan, “An Army of One.” How effective would a one man army actually be?
In his book, Holiness for Ordinary People, Keith Drury has a chapter entitled “A Sanctified Church.” He makes the shocking statement that a church can be made up of sanctified individuals and itself not be holy. This happens when personal time with Jesus fails to impact corporate worship, prayer, and other functions. God has designed us to grow together.
I am an introvert, which means that I need a great deal of alone time to recharge my batteries. I find it very easy to cut myself off from people for extended periods of time. However, I have noticed that my greatest periods of spiritual growth come when I am consistently around the people of God. There are no effective Lone Ranger Christians. (Randy J Bland)
No man is an island,</ br>Entire of itself,</ br>Every man is a piece of the continent,</ br>A part of the main.</ br>— John Donne
Do you regularly allow other Christians to be a part of your life?
This devotional is the Monday, July 17, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.
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