A Fish Out Of Water
A FISH OUT OF WATER
Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 13.
As the small rowboat rocked with the gentle motion of the water, Nicholas watched his father cast his fishing line. “Dad,” said Nicholas, “I don’t want to go to the new church tomorrow.”
“Really?” asked Dad. “Why not?”
“All my friends are back at our old church,” replied Nicholas.
Nicholas’s dad slowly reeled in his line a little. “I know we’re going to miss everybody,” he said, “but we had to move, and we still need to go to church.”
“Can’t we just have church at home?” asked Nicholas. “We could sing and read from the Bible.”
“I’ve got a bite,” said Dad. In a few moments he held up a small fish. “What would happen if we threw this fish in the boat and left it there?”
“It would die,” said Nicholas.
“And if we throw it back?” asked Dad as he threw the fish into the lake.
“Well, now it will live.”
“What if we took the fish to another lake?” Dad asked next. “Would it be able to live there?”
Nicholas thought a moment. “I think so,” he said.
“Well,” said Dad, “our family is a little like a fish that’s been taken from one lake and put into another. We’re in a new place where we have everything we need to go on living—food, clothes, a home.” He paused. “But as Christians, we also need to be around other Christians. If we don’t go to church, we can begin to die spiritually—like a fish out of water. Besides, we please God when we’re part of a church family that cares for one another.”
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you felt out of place when you had to change churches? Remember, meeting with other Christians is an important part of worshiping God.
TO MEMORIZE:
Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.
1 Corinthians 12:14
WORSHIP GOD WITH OTHERS.
From the book
