Appreciating the Church

It is easy to take things for granted because we become quickly accustomed to life as things are.  For this reason we likely do not appreciate all God has provided for us by His grace.  Take the church, for instance.  We can appreciate and value the church as a gathering of God's people to worship Him, study His word and serve one another.  But we may not realise God has joined us together as one in His own Body of which He is our Head.  We might focus on what we can contribute to the fellowship of the saints, but we are also blessed by how all contribute to our good as well.

This dynamic played out in the early church when Timothy was sent to establish and comfort the church in Thessalonica as the people were going through tribulation and affliction.  Paul was concerned the people might have fallen prey to lies of Satan and abandon their faith because of their troubling circumstances.  Paul shared in 1 Thessalonians 3:6-8:  "But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you--⁷ therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord."  When Paul and the brethren received a good report of the people's faith, love and fond memory of them, they were comforted.  The ones seeking to instruct were informed; those who sought to encourage fellow believers were themselves encouraged and comforted.

It is amazing how God connects and unites individual believers in one body, the church.  Isn't it true that when we prepare to teach we are the ones taught?  And even after the message in discussion with other Christians there is much spiritual truth to glean and gladly receive we had not laboured for.  The one who seeks to help others are greatly helped according to God's grace.  Paul and his fellow Christians who were in affliction and distress were comforted by the faith of those in Thessalonica--ironically people they desired to establish and comfort in faith.  Sometimes the very thing we wish to supply to others is also what we need ourselves, though we do not always recognise it.  The minister may not realise how much he needs ministry--not as an outlet to use God's gifts to edify others--but to be edified and encouraged by the gifts of others.  We are blessed with capacity to grow in our appreciation of God for His grace and goodness towards us by simply being in Christ in faith and following Him obediently.