July 31st, 2008
We are His Body
Sometimes we can feel like we’re drowning in a sea of sad news, with stories of anguish of body and soul crashing over us like the relentless surf.
Because I am limited in this one body, and can only be in one place at a time, I can only be useful in a relatively small number of ways. I’m so painfully aware of this that when I hear the next bit of bad news, there’s this split-second, almost subliminal, message from the pit that says, “If you pray, you’ll have to care, and then you’ll have to act; and you can’t even keep your bathroom clean!”
Instantly I’m weary. Instantly I feel guilty. Instantly, I’m of pitifully little use.
And just look how little sense that lie from our enemy makes!
Praying is acting! It’s our first act; our most basic and foundational act. Not only is it “doing something,” it’s doing a lot! I am able (and instructed) to pray without ceasing—like breath, like a heartbeat. So even though I can’t be His “hands and feet” in every situation, I can be His “heart and lungs” for each one as I hear of it.
Now that is an uplifting truth!
Of course I’m tempted to cover my ears and sing, “La-la-la-la” when the next hurricane hits, or the next person with cancer requests prayer. But not only is that a utterly self-centered, self-focused response, it’s a response that can’t give me any relief. It will only make me feel more desperate and even less useful. The tide of sorrow goes in and out and always will until His return. And I can’t make that go away by ignoring it.
No, instead I need to just stop in my mental tracks and pray. Then God is able to call me to go on to the next step of service, or the next breath of prayer. But neither will happen if I cover my ears.
They’re supposed to be His ears, after all.