HEART THOUGHTS by Helen

"HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THE BODY OF CHRIST"

During this past week we observed the remembrance of Christ’s week of passion. In a number of ways we experienced just how beautiful is the body of Christ on earth today. The story and depictions of the crucifixion distress us with horror of Christ’s physical body during the horrendous events of that weekend. The excruciating scourging, spitting, pulling out his beard and all the other despicable things done to Him during the mock trial and agonizing via dolorosa cause us to wince and turn our heads. Have you ever wondered at the hands that made that cruel crown of thorns? You cannot possibly weave a crown of such dire pain without shedding your own blood on the sharp points. The same blood that made the crown would be mingled with that of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. Thought provoking…

Frances J. Roberts, in her devotional book, COME AWAY MY BELOVED, states: “The world is waiting for a robust Church to minister to its needs; and how can an ailing, dismembered Body bring healing to a sick and dying world?” We witnessed that robust Church Body this past week.

Early in the week we received news of dear friends whose oldest son died of cancer. He was thirty-nine. Talk about passionate agony and grief! In the midst of it, however, the BEAUTIFUL BODY OF CHRIST came to stand by this grieving family in a precious way to minister in the name of Jesus. How beautiful were the hands that prepared the meals, served the meals. How beautiful were the hearts that hugged and eyes that cried, the feet that walked the way of suffering, waited in line to pay their respects. How beautiful were the visits, the condolences that honored and ministered as the present day Body of Christ. Just as He said we should do, so we tried our best to do in His Name. How beautiful is the Body of Christ.

On Maundy Thursday we gathered around the tables of a small country church to share in the Lord’s Table in honor of that Last Supper He shared with His disciples. “This is MY BODY which was broken for you”….”This do in Remembrance of ME.” This is My BLOOD which was shed for you”.

Then on Friday we traveled to our former church in McCormick to share in precious celebration of the LIVING LORD’S SUPPER. Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper was dramatized by local men in period costume and looked just like I pictured the disciples to look. It was spectacular and humbling. Each disciple’s monologue ended with “Is it I, Lord?”

Such appropriate music accompanied the presentation by the group, CHOSEN, that my heart thrilled to hear them sing once more. One song, however, persists in my mind. Twilia Paris captures the week for me in some of the lyrics of HOW BEAUTIFUL…….

Is the Body of Christ
How beautiful the hands that served the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked the long dusty roads and the hills to the cross.
How beautiful how beautiful is the body Christ
On Easter Sunday we gathered as a family and prayed around the table at our oldest son’s house to enjoy family, food, and fellowship and to celebrate the fact that our youngest granddaughter, Eliyah, who is five years old, made a public profession of her faith in Christ.

How beautiful is the Body of Christ