Fraction

FRACTION:
1. A small part forming a piece of a whole.
2. A disconnected piece; a fragment.

Because I'm a Christian, I'm "a small part forming a piece of a whole" (1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4). This biblical truth isn't so much something I need to attain to - it's more like something I just need to accept. In other words, I'm not called to be a small part of whole - I simply am a small part of whole. About six years ago I was a "disconnected piece or fragment". I gave no thought to what my "small part" was or the fact that I was a part of something much larger than myself. However, as I finally began to be intentionally joined together with other small parts, my own "small part" began to be clear, valuable, powerful, moving, indispensable, joyful and fulfilling.

Let me ask you a question - What good is the monitor you're looking at right now without the CPU hooked up to it? What about the mouse you're using as you scroll down this page? What other uses could you think of for your monitor or that mouse? I suppose you could use the monitor as a kind of dull, silly mirror and the mouse as a paperweight - but their extreme importance only becomes clear when these small parts are joined together and each individual part is doing its work (Ephesians 4). Each individual part has extreme value and is absolutely indispensable - but this truth only becomes evident when all of the small parts are joined together and functioning properly. What if one small part stops working properly? We know all to well that the whole system suffers and may even come to a screeching halt (1 Corinthians 12:26).

The realization that I'm partly responsible for the proper functioning of the whole places a kind of "communal responsibility" on me. I'm finally realizing that my contribution to the whole is extremely important for the health, growth and proper functioning of the body (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). There's no pride or arrogance in this realization - there's just acceptance and obedience. I'm finally realizing that when I speak the truth in love to those I'm deeply joined together with, and they do the same with me, we begin to grow and mature and become like Christ. And with Christ as the Head, we are growing and building ourselves up in love as each individual body part does its work (Ephesians 4:15,16).

In isolation, while separated from other small parts, my part wasn't clear to me at all. I asked God why I existed. Why can't I just go to heaven right now? What is there to do between salvation and death except wait? What am I going to do for the next 60 or so years? Where's the passion, meaning, joy and excitement I see in the lives of those in the bible? I asked myself what possible use I could be in the carrying out of God's plan. What possible use could I be to the Christians around me? What use could I be to the unsaved around me? In isolation my "small part" was not seen by myself or anybody else as valuable, powerful, moving, indispensable, joyful or fulfilling. Sure, I'm important because I'm a person, and that's ABSOLUTELY TRUE, but there's so much more! In isolation my desire to serve (when/if it was even there) seemed forced, difficult and unsustainable. I didn't know where, whom or how I was suppose to serve. I completely lacked confidence. I didn't see myself as having anything valuable or meaningful to contribute. I had no idea that I needed to be intentionally joined together with other "small parts" in order to make sense of my "small part".

So how did I finally become joined together with other "small parts"? I was asked to accept this biblical truth and begin living it by a great and Godly man and his awesome wife. They too realized that there had to be more in this life - right now - than what they were living and experiencing. They invited my family and a few others to begin meeting together in each other's homes. We went on retreats together, prayed together, played together, ate meals together, fasted together....and just began intentionally being together. It's so simple - and yet it's been so amazingly powerful. I won't even try to describe these relationships because it's like trying to describe what it's like to be a parent - It's something you simply have to live and experience for yourself. However, I will challenge you to accept this biblical truth and begin living it.

Right now - at West Houston - there are life transforming Life Groups going on. There are men and women who are ready and able to serve you in whatever way you need to be served. There are men's and women's groups available to you that will sharpen and mold you like you can't even imagine. These groups are not: "just" prayer groups or Bible study groups or accountability groups or Christian fellowship groups or support groups -- they are all of these things and more. If you will allow them to - these groups will connect you to other "small parts" in a way you never thought possible. Remember the unbelievable friendships you had in College, High School or the military? Unless those friendships were centered on and through Christ, they don't even compare to the friendships that are available to you in these groups. Maybe you, like me, thought that the days of having close friends or "best friends" was over - but it's not. I'm telling you that those days are available to you right here - right now. As you have probably already discovered - these friendships don't just "happen" anymore. We have to be intentional about them.

And no - these folks are not a bunch of "super Christians". Over the years, in the groups I've been a part of, we've dealt with some pretty heavy life issues. Issues like infidelity, alcoholism, drug abuse, pornography...and while these groups couldn't be labeled a "support group", we've certainly functioned in that capacity when the Spirit led us to do so. These men and women are simply there to serve you in whatever way you need to be served - and to be served by you in whatever way you have already been gifted to serve. If you're the least bit interested in checking out one of the Life Groups or Gender groups just send me an email and I'll be glad to find you all the details you need.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-23