“Group Effort” is September 15’s entry from Dr. David Jeremiah’s ‘Turning Points with God: 365 Daily Devotions’.
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ." 1 Corinthians 12:12
As a group of amateur climbers scaled part of the Matterhorn near Zermatt, Switzerland, a vicious gust of wind came along the narrow ledge on which they were standing.
The guide quickly shouted, “Get down on your knees! You are safe only on your knees!” That’s good advice for all of us: the ledges of life are narrow, and the winds are strong. Whenever storms come our way, we, too, need guides who will offer us solid counsel and encouragement.
When Paul was shackled by discouragement, God sent His special agent of encouragement. Barnabas–exhorting, encouraging, consoling–was the very embodiment of the ministry of the Spirit. He provided a model of bringing out the best in others.
Our Creator has intentionally designed us for interdependence; no man is an island. Sooner or later life teaches us that we will not survive without many helping hands as well as the hand of God. This is the very meaning of the body of Christ, a collection of organs that are worthless individually but form a powerful organism when interconnected. Decide whether you will take the road of pride and self- sufficiency, which is a dead end, or the path of community and humility, which leads to life.
“Dear Jesus, thank You for giving me the joy of relationships with other Christians.”
