If We Are the Body
Tue, 07/24/2012 - 6:47pm -- admin
There’s been a couple times in my life when I’ve awoken from sleep, fully able to see my surroundings, but my body is still asleep.
If this has ever happened to you, you know how frightening and disturbing it can be for your mind to wake only to find your body still sleeping.
This phenomenon is called sleep paralysis. For most people, like myself, sleep paralysis on lasts for a couple minutes; but, there have been some cases where it lasts for a few hours. Scary.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes, “And God placed all things under Jesus’ feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is Jesus’ body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
I’ve often wondered why the church seems so impotent. In the New Testament, the Church was full of God’s power and they lead many people to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But today … not so much.
I used to think that maybe God simply didn’t want to move like He did in the New Testament stories. I used to think that I had to somehow placate God with a bevy of prayers to convince Him to save my friends and family.
But, now I know I had it all wrong. God is the one pleading with us. God is ready and willing, but we ... we are suffering from some sort of spiritual sleep paralysis, where the mind is fully awake, but the body is still sleeping.
I listened to an older Christian song this morning by Casting Crowns called “If We Are the Body”. These are the lyrics in the song that stood out to me:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? There is a way?
There are many questions in those lyrics. Questions that can’t be answered with Bible answers or pat prayers. These are questions that must burn in our hearts until they prompt us to wake up.
If this has ever happened to you, you know how frightening and disturbing it can be for your mind to wake only to find your body still sleeping.
This phenomenon is called sleep paralysis. For most people, like myself, sleep paralysis on lasts for a couple minutes; but, there have been some cases where it lasts for a few hours. Scary.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes, “And God placed all things under Jesus’ feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is Jesus’ body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
I’ve often wondered why the church seems so impotent. In the New Testament, the Church was full of God’s power and they lead many people to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But today … not so much. I used to think that maybe God simply didn’t want to move like He did in the New Testament stories. I used to think that I had to somehow placate God with a bevy of prayers to convince Him to save my friends and family.
But, now I know I had it all wrong. God is the one pleading with us. God is ready and willing, but we ... we are suffering from some sort of spiritual sleep paralysis, where the mind is fully awake, but the body is still sleeping.
I listened to an older Christian song this morning by Casting Crowns called “If We Are the Body”. These are the lyrics in the song that stood out to me:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? There is a way?
There are many questions in those lyrics. Questions that can’t be answered with Bible answers or pat prayers. These are questions that must burn in our hearts until they prompt us to wake up.