The Arms are Disconnected from the Body
Priscilla Van Sutphin
September 10, 2001
[This was the night before 9-11 disaster]
For a couple weeks, my shoulders have been what feels like dislocated. Sometimes it has been very painful, especially at first . Then of late it seemed to wane, then tonight again it seemed worse. I went to lay down and read, and suddenly I heard, " The arms are disconnected from the body " And I began to picture all the times I tried to get help when I was disabled and having to live on AFDC and the lack of help in the church. No one wanted to help, but a very few close friends. The help sometimes more did not come from the church I was attending. There is one woman who stuck by me through the whole time and, who has shown me the value of loving people even when they are not fully healed. She is like a surrogate mother to me; someone I desperately needed in my life. She did inner healing with me . She is a licensed Christian counselor/psychologist with 20 years of experience in this healing of the emotions. She helped not only with inner healing in prayer for me and counseling. But she and her husband supported me, financially with $400 a month when I was walking on water, when I had no income, and was on housing and medical. She would bring me food. She bought me herbs when I needed them and didn't have the money which were a big part of my physical strengthening. She stood by me through thick and thin when no one else seemed to have the heart or time.
I also thought of the many people I've known among the poor who have never seen Christians help them or each other. Then I thought of those who have helped others, most out of their poverty. In fact it seems to me that those are the ones who have had the biggest hearts; those who know what it is like to suffer and be in need. Those who know what it is like to have to say NO to your children so many times. Those who know what it is to cry yourself to sleep at night because you can't get decent medical care through Medical programs. Although they provide help, it is not quality help like for those who pay and it costs people who are poor, some with their lives.
The body is quite dysfunctional if it's arms are disconnected. It means you can't touch someone when they need a touch. It means you can't lift to carry groceries to a neighbor. I am having trouble lowering my water bottle so I can pour water into the pitcher. It causes me pain when I do it. The Lord's heart is broken over those who need to see a powerful church ,a loving church, and when they come, instead they often see selfishness, backbiting, jealousy, competition and pride. Our healing comes through HIM being with Him, worshipping Him, talking to HIM, study of His Word. And through the many counselors, pastors and church workers who pour themselves out to others, who impart their wisdom and kindness and love to us.
We don't have to be perfect to help others, we just need His grace and to be healed enough ourselves that we don't snap at others with our words and injure them more. And there are those who already help, who are the arms of the church, who have been secretly, quietly doing what God has wanted the whole church involved in. But they are disconnected. Then there are those whose literal arms seem disconnected....they go to church. They warm the pews. They read their bibles. They tithe. They give to others. They even pray and worship the Lord. But they don't reach out to others the way HE would reach out to whoever sought HIM. There are people everyday that we walk by who need prayer, who need encouragement, who need to know their value in the eyes of the Everloving God. If everyone in our congregations would reach out to ONE person in a three or even 6 month period and disciple them - imagine how our churches would grow !
Jesus said to love one another as I have loved you !
Then the Lord said to look up "complacency" Websters has this definition: The quality or state of being satisfied, a calm sense of well being and security; Especially satisfaction or self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Another is self-satisfaction, vanity. And yet another is passive acquiescence which I think says it the best.
One of the qualities of complacency is a self focus, ...not caring what is wrong with others, or their problems, but just being satisfied that you don't have those problems. It is always easy when life gets easier to become complacent about the plight of others, to be so busy with life (your own), that you become numb to the needs of others around you. It can happen in the best of friendships, in marriages, in business relationships, in church relationships, and in families.
It takes effort to reach out. Reaching out is done with the ARMS. One principle of the kingdom, Jesus taught was that if you reach out to others, he will reach out to you. Where does it say this ? Well , first HE demonstrated it. He was always reaching out to others, to teach, to heal, to feed, etc. Secondly, it says it in Isaiah 58. Notice all the IF's ; if you do this, then...
Isa 58:5-14 NKJV
5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul ? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes ? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh ?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
"If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
13 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken."
Didn't Jesus tell us to do unto others as you would have them do unto you ?
If my neighbor is hurting and I ignore it I could end up like that person without consoling, without a place to stay. ( The Lord may have me ignore it in that I have to do what HE wants me to do. We all cannot be everything to everyone. Nor are we called to be the Saviour.) The Lord alone is Saviour ! So how do we find balance? By listening to the Lord. By putting up our decisions to Him, casting our cares on Him, for He cares for us, asking Him for wisdom and His word so we can obey and not be foolish. Some poverty is due to judgement. Some people don't break very easy. Some are stubborn in their pride, but love conquers all. Love is the greatest. If you show people love, it will generate more love.
The Lord told me years ago, that the revival would come in the one-anothers !
There is the law of sowing and reaping, if you sow kindness, you will receive kindness. If you sow money, you will receive money. If you sow love, and mercy, you will reap love and mercy when you need it. Think about how you would like to be treated, then treat others like that! Too often in our society, we don't even take the time to think that ! We just do whatever "seems" best.
The bible says, There is a way that seems right unto a man:
but it's way is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12, or 16:25 NKJV
