Hubby and I have had several businesses over the years; one of them was a hay hauling business. Hubby bought a Mack truck, had the frame stretched and put a self-loading, unloading deck on it. The challenges we faced to set up our business seemed insurmountable. As we launched into business, we encountered numerous troubles throughout the years.
I remember one of the first jobs he had, I rode along with him. I can still see the large round bale coming over the cab of the truck as the bale that had hit another bale on the load was pushed over the front. My heart went into my throat! Thankfully, there was no physical damage; just frayed nerves.
That business was like being in a crucible. It was intense. It was a refining season in our lives, for sure. As I look back, I see how God took us through impossible situations to refine us, to grow us and to show His power and supply!
The hay deck was a fascinating piece of heavy machinery, comprised of several working parts. It had electric over hydraulics components to work the moving parts. There was a loading arm that Hubby would move to the ground to pick a bale. He got so good at his job; he could load on the go. As he was driving to another bale, he would load the one on the arm to the deck. He was an incredible operator, as he is with any heavy equipment.
An essential part to the unloading process was the chain that was used to run the pushbar that pushed the bales off of the deck at the end. It was never a good feeling when you heard a chain break. Hubby kept a well-stocked kit of spare parts for times such as those; he could be hours from any repair shop. That chain was vital to getting the bales unloaded
As I was praying this week, the Lord gave me a picture of a chain; each link was exactly the same as the next, containing the same capacity of workload. I saw that we, as the Body of Believers, are that chain! Let me say to you today, YOU are VITAL to the work that God has called His Bride to in this new era! Although we are all different and gifted in various ways... we are ALL necessary and we ALL carry the same responsibility to work together in this growing family. “For His 'body' has been formed in His image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.”Ephesians 4:16-17.
Another version says “every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share.”
Dear believing ones, each one of us needs to pull our own weight in these days ahead, being obedient to Holy Spirit and effectively contributing to each other’s growth; built up and made perfect in love.
I call forth to those wounded warriors who have found themselves separated from the greater “whole” of the Body of Christ, to be linked up! Ask Holy Spirit to connect you with those you need to link arms with in this new era. We NEED each other. And God needs us to walk in step with Him to bring in the harvest in these last days! Further study on this is found in 1 Corinthians 12.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
