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One of my favorite childhood toys
was a small, inexpensive kaleidoscope. I would press one end of the
kaleidoscope to my eye and marvel at the red, green, blue, and yellow colors
morphing into different designs as I turned the tube. No matter how long I looked,
I never grew tired of it. I played with this toy until it fell apart.
Oftentimes, we get caught up in
the differences in Christian worship, whether it is within a church, between
denominations, or within the Christianity community as a whole. The Apostle
Paul admonishes us to put aside our differences and be of one mind for the sake
of peace. No matter what our personalities, tastes in worship, or how we
envision our particular church progressing into the future, we’re all part of
the same fabric, woven together as the body of Christ.
The fascination of the
kaleidoscope was the way the colors worked together to form a pattern and then
changed into another beautiful design. My brothers and sisters in Christ are
just as beautiful when they pull together to accomplish good for the Kingdom.
Equally important is our willingness to transform for necessary
progress.
Imagine my childish
disappointment when I peered into the end of my kaleidoscope one day and it no
longer worked. No matter how much I turned the tube, the colors were askew as
the little broken lenses didn’t come together anymore to form a beautiful
design. We’ve all seen this happen within the body of Christ, as well.
Are you part of the peaceful work
in your church, striving to be of one mind, meshing with those around you in a
beautiful godly design? If so, you’ve experienced the peace and love that God
showers on His believers.
Prayer: Father God, guide me to be a
fruitful part of your design within the body of believers of which I belong.
Help me to keep my focus on You and not the differences amongst my brothers and
sisters in Christ, so that we may do Your Kingdom work effectively. In Jesus' name, amen.
Please pray for our overseas U.S.
personnel including our ambassadors, our military, and their families. Several military
personnel have been killed in the past few weeks including five soldiers from
Fort Bliss who died when their vehicle hit an IED in Afghanistan. Please
continue to lift up those on our prayer list and Sgt. Jesse McCart, who was
injured by an IED in Afghanistan last summer, and his wife and children as he
continues his rehab.
If you have a prayer request, I’d
love to hear from you. Share in the comments section so others can pray or
e-mail me confidential requests. I’d also love to hear your praise reports!
Shalom,
Laura
✞
©Laura Hodges Poole
Originally published by Christian Devotions in 2012.
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