Let’s talk about your backbone today. Your spine contains over 120 muscles, around 220 individual ligaments, and 100 joints. The spinal cord that runs inside your backbone weighs around 35 grams. The length of the spinal column in the average man is 70cm, and in the average woman it’s 60cm. This system of muscle, bone, ligament and joints supports your entire body. It holds up your head and powers your hips and legs to move. Can you imagine what your body would be without your backbone? I’m thinking jellyfish.
If you’ve ever had any kind of back issues, you know how important good back strength is to your overall health. My husband pulled a back muscle trying to load our 100 lb. Labrador retriever into the car, and he was down for the count for days. I have had lower back spasms that have landed me on the couch for hours. Have you ever struggled with this? It is amazing how much we need and use our backs.
Our Scripture today talks about the church being the backbone and support of the truth. This is a profound statement. We indeed are the church of the living God. Paul encouraged Timothy in this passage, after Timothy had been sent to the church in Ephesus to sort out their struggle with an assault of false teaching. Ever the thoughtful mentor, Paul sought to equip Timothy in his leadership of this church. Remember that “church” in this context is not a place of worship with four walls, but a gathering of like-minded people.
1 Timothy 3:14-16 (Common English Bible)
14 I hope to come to you quickly. But I’m writing these things to you so that15 if I’m delayed, you’ll know how you should behave in God’s household. It is the church of the living God and the backbone and support of the truth.16 Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory.
Paul reminded Timothy that the church is the recipient of the truth of the incarnation. When God chose to reveal himself in Jesus as a human, which was declared righteous by the Holy Spirit, the truth became known. Angels confirmed the revelation and thus the church at Ephesus was challenged to continue to preach Christ as the Son of God throughout the nations. They were responsible for taking the Good News to the known world.
Think about your own “backbone.” Do you stand up for truth? Are you strong in your commitment to be the church of the living God? Do you declare the mystery of godliness to the world?
Jesus calls each one of us to stand up, straight and tall, for the Truth that he came to bring. May we never shirk this responsibility.
At Water’s Edge 