Monday Devotional - 8/5/13 "Community, Unity, and a Flat Tire" Like many families, my family has had its share of financial up and downs. There was a season, not that long ago, where we were desperately low on finances. One day, on the way to dropping off our kids at school, we heard a strange noise coming from the rear of the car. When we pulled over to investigate, I saw that one of the rear tires was flat. By the time we got to my son’s school, the tire was toast and we were stuck. Fortunately, one of my best friends in Christ worked at that school and he helped me install the spare. Afterwards, my wife and I went to breakfast and both of us felt very down because we did not have the money to replace the tire. In fact, the other three tires were bald with wires exposed, so really we needed to replace all four tires. Where would we find the funds to pay for all those tires? When we got home, I noticed a text from my friend’s wife telling me to meet at a tire shop the very next day. A distress call had gone out concerning our need and about a dozen members of the church family were chipping in to buy us four brand new tires! There is something special about giving collectively that brings people together in the body of Christ. We see an example of this in First Corinthians 16:1—“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also…” Paul is referencing how the Gentile believers were ministering to the Jewish believers in a time of famine by taking a collection, above and beyond, for those saints. He then instructs the church of Corinth to do the same. It was an opportunity for the Gentile believers to bless their brothers and sisters in Christ who lived in Jerusalem. In doing so, a simple act of giving went a long way to create community and unity in the body of Christ. My wife, children, and I felt so loved by that simple act of giving from our brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s funny, most of those individuals still remain anonymous and yet that experience still reminds us how our church family truly is a family that is there in times of need. I’m reminded that people really care about us, that in times of difficulty we are not alone, and that this is our family, our home. Today, we have an opportunity to witness the community and unity that we can build through a simple act of collective giving. So let’s give big and let’s give generously with a cheerful heart because God can use even a flat tire to bring the body of Christ together! Erik Sahakian Copyright © 2013 Wildwood Calvary Chapel Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 13:07:16 +0000
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