You Are Essential

1 Corinthians 12:27 (ESV)

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

This morning, for the umpteenth day in a row, I have been spending time on work related to the COVID 19 pandemic.  Today, I have been trying to figure out our county’s new stay at home order and what it means for our staff at Fishers.   I am thanking the Lord for two lawyers from the congregation, Donna and Johnnie, who helped me with this. Basically, everyone on our staff has to work from home, unless carrying out activities in preparation for and/or the broadcasting of our live-stream worship at 9:30am on Sunday.  This is all part of the new normal – the new COVID 19 normal.  Personally, I hope this doesn’t last too long. I miss everyone from church.

Right now, though, you can only go to work if the government considers you and your work essential. IN other words, are you essential to the basic functioning and well being of society – medical workers, hospitals, police, firefighters, grocery stores and so forth are all considered essential.  The one that made me laugh, was to see that liquor stores were listed as essential in at least one list I read.  Really?  We can’t live without whisky?  Judging by all the people staying at home – there are a whole bunch of us who are not considered essential. 

Thank God, that to Him you are essential.  I was reminded of this the other day on a zoom call with a Pastor friend.  I asked him how he was doing, and he replied, “I am basking in the joy of being essential.”  Did the county where he lives designate Pastor’s as essential?  No.  He was talking about being essential in God’s eyes.

The truth is that in God’s eyes, each and everyone of us is essential.  Don’t get me wrong.  God can do everything he desires without you and me.  What makes you and me essential is His undeserved for us in Jesus Christ.   In the scriptures, in two or three verses, you and I are referred to as “the apple of His eye.”    You and I are so precious to our Lord, that He gave Jesus. “In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and gave His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  “For the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of God.”  Your salvation and mine, our spending eternity with God is the joy for which Jesus endured the cross.  God counts the very hairs on your head.  You and I are the treasure hidden in the field for which Jesus went and sold everything He had – even His own life – to purchase that field and buy us for God.  In baptism He has called you by name.  He has adopted you into God’s family.

By adopting you, He has made you a part of the church, the body of Christ.  In the body every part is important.  The eye can not say to the hand I have no need of you.  The foot can not say that because I am not a hand I am not needed.  Every part of the body is needed. “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

In this time when you are staying home, sometimes feeling stuck… in this time when you are worried about your jobs and the economy… when you are concerned about health… when the government has designated you and me as not being essential… Remember this.  Cling to this great truth.  Someone far more important that the government has the last word on whether you and I are important.  Your God and Savior has made this so clear by His love for you = You are essential to Him.  So am I.  Amen.