June 26, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, June 26.
Our focus today is on family, a very special family, the String Family. This family includes dozens and dozens of instruments, each unique in size and shape and sound, but holding one thing in common - they all produce music through the vibration of a string. But even the number of strings that each uses is unique. The guitar has 6 strings, the violin has 4. The mandolin has 8 strings, the banjo only 5. The harp boasts 47, the dulcimer just 3. Yes, these instruments are distinctly different from each other, but because they hold in common one foundational characteristic... they are a family.
A church family, the Family of God, is also made up of unique members, each individual having unique backgrounds, characteristics, talents, gifts. The Apostle Paul addresses this in I Corinthians 12.
4 - There are many gifts, but one Spirit is the source of them all.
18-20 - God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
27, 29-31 - Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Rather, eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way . . .
And what is that “most excellent way?” Look at the address of that last verse. It sits on the threshold of one of the most famous chapters in the Bible - I Corinthians 13 - “The Love Chapter.” What is the “greater gift?” Paul teaches us that it is love. The greatest of these is love.
And so, in the Christian life, you may be the violin or the concert harp - or maybe you’re the ukulele. The differences aren’t as important as what we hold in common, the saving grace of Jesus Christ. It’s not about our gifts, it’s about His grace. That’s what makes us a family... the Family of God.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
