His Hands, His Feet

What does it mean to be the hands and feet of Jesus? What does this look like?  How do we flesh this statement out in our daily lives?  We have heard it said over and over…but how do we grasp this concept and make it our own?

I recently read a book by Ann Voscamp and this phrase stuck out to me: “There is no physical body of Christ here on earth but ours.  We are now Christ’s only earthly body-and we must be broken and given.”

Jesus came into this world, fully God and fully man.  Philippians 2 says in verse 5-8, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Jesus was born a servant.  He came and was completely poured out for mankind.  He gave us everything…every part of Himself.  He loved fiercely, served with fervor and without favoritism, EMPTIED Himself and took the form of a servant.  He demonstrated, by intentional example, the picture of perfect love.  He traded His life for our redemption.

And so, as His redeemed, His beloved, we are given the calling to demonstrate this perfect LOVE, just as He did for us.  We, as His chosen and His church, are called His body.  1 Corinthians 12:27 says, Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Christ humbled Himself to the point of death, death on a cross.  In order for us to be His hands and feet, we have to do the same…we have to humbly bow before the King of kings and empty ourselves of everything that exists apart from Him.  We must cease existing and allow Him to fully engulf every part of who we are. Just as John 3:30 states:  He must increase, but I must decrease. When Christ consumes us, we live out our days serving and giving, loving and showcasing His glory to the ends of the earth.

To be the hands and feet of Jesus, it begins by following in complete abandonment to ourselves. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). Death to our flesh births service to our King.  It begins with a total surrender to His Lordship.  It begins with realizing that this life, our story, isn’t about us at all…it’s all about Him.

To be HIS hands, HIS feet, HIS body…means that ours no longer function for our pleasure, but His. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

Today’s Challenge:  Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.  Pray and ask God to reveal your attitude toward His body.  Ask yourself:  Am I serving like Christ?  Am I loving like Christ?  Am I emptying myself of me so that I can be filled with Him?  Ask God to show you where He wants to use you, right now, in His body.  Be open.  Be obedient.  Then be ready to be a beacon for His glory to shine through!