The strength of a piece of woven cloth can be boiled down as attributable to just two major factors: the material and the mechanics. If the material is old, weak, cheap or brittle, the garment is destroyed before it is made. It may look good (Smile for the picture!), but as soon as it is worn, it's inferiority is revealed. It disintegrates, leaving the wearer exposed to both danger and ridicule. If the mechanics are incomplete or careless, the entire cloth unravels, entangling the wearer in a mess that creates more problems than a good garment would have solved. No matter how good the materials, good mechanics are indispensable. No matter how good the mechanics, good materials are essential.
And such it is with the Body of Christ. The Scriptures refer to garments in a number of ways. New patches on old cloths - Matthew 9:16. The garment of praise - Isaiah 61:3. The garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness - Isaiah 61:10. The armies of heaven in fine, pure white linen - Revelation 19:14. Garments are used to illustrate and accentuate God's plan. Well, today's nugget proposes that we, as the Body of Christ, can be likened unto a garment worn by our Great God. We are a living, constantly renewing material - strong, valuable, and flexible. Holy Spirit, the Master Weaver, is at the loom, crafting the Coat of Many Colors to be worn by the Creator of the Universe. What a beautiful image! You and me, draped over the shoulders of Almighty God, shimmering in the light and reflecting the various colors of the supernatural spectrum of His glory. And yet, each of us is but a single strand. Each of us is intertwined, filling the gap of just one small portion of His robe. If we are to give Him His garment, we must stop squirming in the loom. We must stop resisting the mechanics of God being used to weave us together. We need one another. We need to respect one another. We need to become appreciative of our differences; and love must be without hypocrisy. How can we do that? How can we truly yield to this great work of Holy Spirit? Here are some things to remember:
- THE MATERIAL: We are all made from the same material. Regardless of our color or level of refinement, we are born again from the same Spirit. John 3:8, 1 Corinthians 10:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:4-6. We are ever-new through His presence. Acts 3:19-21. We are strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9. We are valuable. 1 Corinthians 6:20 & Acts 20:28. We are flexible, changing to meet the needs of the moment and season. 2 Corinthians 3:18.
- THE MECHANICS: For a weave to work, the threads must be both intertwined and cross one another. Understand this one! We don't all run the same way and sometimes we feel a bit twisted in our relationships. But, if this were not so , WE WOULD FALL APART! These are the mechanics of God and we need this looming process if we are to clothe God in the beauty of His purchase. For a weave to work it must be tight. The loom stretches and tightens and presses the threads together. This is painful for us "living strands," but it is the glorious work of Holy Spirit among us. The bond of peace is forged in the painful loom of fellowship.
Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta
Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com
© 2016 Chris Liotta
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