Recently I’ve been struck by the privilege that it is to be part of the body of Christ. This isn’t a new revelation as anyone who is a Christian realizes that being called by Christ and having a relationship with Him, while not easy, is always worth it. However, while a relationship with God and His glorification on Earth are the primary purposes of being a Christian, there is another comfort that is less-often acknowledged. When we choose to follow Christ and to take up our cross and serve Him, we become a part of a community of people who share a common purpose. Just like people join organizations or sports teams for the thrill of joining together to achieve something, being a Christian means that you immediately join a team that has already accomplished much for His kingdom. Just like a sports team, it means you all the sudden have a group of people who are there to cheer you on, and to wish you the best in the accomplishment of your common endeavor. Additionally, you know that there are other people working alongside you in pursuit of the same goal. This team, this family that you are now a part of has an advantage that Earthly groups don’t. Followers of Christ know that despite distance and lapse of time, they will always see each other again. Even when they don’t know how the other members are doing, they know that other work is being undertaken to provide praise to our Father. It’s what enables us to immediately get real with one another; to relate without pretense, to pray with out specifics, and to love without obligation. Our common position as servants of Christ bind us together like nothing else can.
And this is pure beauty.