If We Are the Body, Why?

By Donna McCrary-

“But if we are the body, why aren’t His arms reaching? Why aren’t His hands healing? Why aren’t His words’ teaching…why is His love not showing there is a way?”

These lyrics by Casting Crowns blasted straight to my heart. I glanced around at the 6,000 plus women packed in the coliseum. Six thousand mothers, daughters, wives, and BFF’s praising God in our own unique way. We are the body of Christ!

The drum beat of my heart suddenly seemed louder than the pounding state-of-the-art sound system. The powerful lyrics cut straight to my soul. Why? In that moment it was the Holy Spirit asking me, little unimportant me, “Why don’t you see me?” I glanced around the coliseum as the tears started streaming from my eyes and the burning why question pieced my thoughts. God softly asking, “Why don’t you see my hands healing? Why aren’t my feet moving? Why?”

For the remainder of the conference, I found myself searching for the answer to the simple question. Each speaker shared their own struggles and heartaches.  Then each shared the redemptive power of God’s perfect plan. This only stirred in me a deep hunger to answer the question of ‘why’ burning in my soul. I found myself crying out prayers between breaks, “God, show me! Show me how I can know you intimately. Show me how I can see you moving daily in my life. Show me how I can speak boldly like Peter and John. Show me how I can experience water walking faith! Show me how my life can be a living testimony of Your indescribable love, your unexplainable grace and mercy. Show me! Please, God. I am willing and wanting to experience You like never before!”

Determined to answer the why question, I searched the scriptures to glean wisdom from those who were part of the body that experienced the grace, love, and miracles of Jesus first hand. There it was, a simple answer spelled out in red letters, “put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Easy to read, hard to live! But if we are the body, why aren’t His hands healing?

Perhaps you should also ask yourself why?

PRAYER: “God, show me where I am living out my own selfish ambitions. Show me the sacrifices I have been unwilling to make for You. Help me today to follow You!”

“Then He called His disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. ‘If any of you wants to be my follower,’ He told them, ‘you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me’” (Mark 8:34 NLT).