RISE
Day thirty – Today is day thirty. The number thirty conjures up images of silver scattered in the temple after it was thrown there by Judas, who betrayed Christ for profit. For thirty pieces of silver he lead the adversaries of God to the savior of the world and betrayed him with a kiss.
Before we are too hard on Judas, however, we must also consider the fact that all of his disciples fled during his arrest and trial. None of them stood by Him. None were there to give words of encouragement or plead His case or help him in any way. Peter, one of his innermost circle of friends, would even deny knowing Him. None stood with Him!
Oddly enough it is this very group of men that would become pillars of the early church, built upon Christ and His sacrifice. Though they did not stand with Him in His hours of greatest need, He held them up and used them to build and maintain this wonderful body that we call the church, over which, we are told, Christ is the head.
In scripture the church is referred to often as His body. This body has many parts, which is a reference to you and I. Now, each of these parts is vital and must be working to fulfill the main mission of that body, the seeking and saving of the lost. In brokenness the early disciples fled. In love and compassion Christ united them, gave them purpose and allotted to them a work; work that is defined by doing exactly what He did for those early disciples. When you were broken and alone in your sin, He saved you and made you a part of His body.
So today you are encouraged to embrace that body called the church…be a vital working part of it…let it mature you and help you. It is day thirty. It is a day to consider your role in this body, one of the keys to good spiritual health and maintenance. Make no mistake about it, to deny the church is to deny Him and flee, whether for profit or other reasons.
