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One translation for the original Greek word used for “bond” in this passage is “ligament.” I don’t know about you, but that makes me excited! Let’s think about this for a moment… Paul tells us to work hard to be one with one another the way Jesus was One with The Father; creating a strong, cohesive connection [with one another]; a connection that is so strong that it is like a ligament that supports and holds bones or joints together. Let's pull out only the highlighted words and put them together,
"work hard, be one with one another, creating a strong, cohesive connection [with one another]."
Um…WOW! This is truly a BODILY connection command!
First of all, it’s not easy : As an infant grows, his joints, bones, and ligaments all grow, and soon enough he may develop “growing pains.” This is the physical evidence of the hard work taking place underneath the skin and muscle.
Secondly, in spite of all the hard work the body is going through, there is perfect, unobstructed, cohesion throughout the healthy developmental process : Rarely does an individual need limb or joint replacement due to the healthy developmental process. The natural, healthy process God established for human development has worked with little to no artificial or foreign interference since the world was created…except in the one-time creation of Eve!
Lastly, only in cases of disease, accident, or dismemberment do healthy ligaments ever fail to hold bones and joints properly in place : this metaphor Paul uses is truly powerful in that, even in the cases of old age and injury, healthy ligaments can keep a body functioning actively and cohesively well past its prime! I need that even in middle age!
As almost effortless as this process looks from the outside, from conception to adulthood…constant, strenuous work is going on behind the scenes of flesh and muscle to create a strong, healthy, functioning skeletal structure. If the process works perfectly, in the end, we enjoy a cohesion in bones, joints, and ligaments that makes it possible for us to walk, run, stand, sit, rest, exercise, and do any kind of movement/activity free from pain and obstruction.
How can we be strategic, purposeful, diligent, and single-minded to create this kind of cohesion in our walk with God and others? Why don’t we place as much priority on doing so, seeing how beneficial the results could be? Maybe because we as humans all too often take for granted the processes we can’t see with our visible eye… Father help us to do better staying joined together with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Seeking to Grow my Walk with God and Others,
Dawn~
"work hard, be one with one another, creating a strong, cohesive connection [with one another]."
Um…WOW! This is truly a BODILY connection command!
First of all, it’s not easy : As an infant grows, his joints, bones, and ligaments all grow, and soon enough he may develop “growing pains.” This is the physical evidence of the hard work taking place underneath the skin and muscle.
Secondly, in spite of all the hard work the body is going through, there is perfect, unobstructed, cohesion throughout the healthy developmental process : Rarely does an individual need limb or joint replacement due to the healthy developmental process. The natural, healthy process God established for human development has worked with little to no artificial or foreign interference since the world was created…except in the one-time creation of Eve!
Lastly, only in cases of disease, accident, or dismemberment do healthy ligaments ever fail to hold bones and joints properly in place : this metaphor Paul uses is truly powerful in that, even in the cases of old age and injury, healthy ligaments can keep a body functioning actively and cohesively well past its prime! I need that even in middle age!
As almost effortless as this process looks from the outside, from conception to adulthood…constant, strenuous work is going on behind the scenes of flesh and muscle to create a strong, healthy, functioning skeletal structure. If the process works perfectly, in the end, we enjoy a cohesion in bones, joints, and ligaments that makes it possible for us to walk, run, stand, sit, rest, exercise, and do any kind of movement/activity free from pain and obstruction.
How can we be strategic, purposeful, diligent, and single-minded to create this kind of cohesion in our walk with God and others? Why don’t we place as much priority on doing so, seeing how beneficial the results could be? Maybe because we as humans all too often take for granted the processes we can’t see with our visible eye… Father help us to do better staying joined together with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Seeking to Grow my Walk with God and Others,
Dawn~
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