The Bodyless Hand

ONE GUY’S TRUE STORY

My pastor describes a Christian without a church like a hand without a body: it is good as dead. It is useless. As Christians, we can’t deny our need for a church to serve God and His people in, and for our own spiritual growth. As for me, at some point, I was the hand without a body.

Almost four years ago, I got involved in a Christian church. This was a church where the Bible is taught and I had opportunities to serve God. I really thought everything would be fine as time went by. But when it was time for me to go to college, I had to move far away from the church to study. At first, I was thinking, “It will be just four years to get my degree plus one year to get my license, then after that I will surely get a job and go back to serve God again,” not realizing that I was already treating my relationship with God as something temporary and optional.

As time went by, I didn’t notice that my faith was progressing backwards. I stopped praying, stopped reading my Bible, and became so consumed by schoolwork, deadlines, and pressure that I became useless in the ministry. Even though I was busy and productive as a student, inside I felt empty and spiritually dry. It almost looked like I had never really met or encountered Christ at all. I was slowly becoming the “bodyless hand.”

But God is merciful enough to still want me to know and serve Him again. I was in my second year at school when I was invited to a Bible study for college students. That invitation became a turning point for me. After the Bible study, Jesse, my pastor now, invited me to attend a Sunday service. At that time, I was only attending church and was not part of it. I only went when it was convenient for me.

At some point, I stopped attending this new church too, and only came back again when I wanted to. But that’s not how it is supposed to be. God calls us to obedience, and I was not being a good example of it. I felt guilty, yet I kept delaying commitment. Also, a big reason why I couldn’t bring myself to fully commit to this church at that time was that I was still holding onto my old church way back home, which I couldn’t serve effectively because of the distance. I was also thinking it might interfere with my studies. I was too arrogant to admit to God that I needed a church.

Eventually, God asked for my commitment. Pastor Jesse asked a question to the church one time: “Do you consider this your church?” I went home thinking and praying about it, and eventually I said yes, not just to the church but also to God’s call for commitment and obedience. I admitted that I was tired of doing my Christian life alone.

After that, I became committed to God through Believers Church Cebu. Also during this time, I was considering my commitment to Street Level Ministries (SLM), a group of college students who want to know God and are passionate about His Word. Just a few months ago, I became a member.

The church and SLM gave me another chance to start from the beginning. To be a baby in faith again. To serve and to understand what the Bible really says. No more, no less. It made me realize that although Christianity is sometimes scary, you are not alone in the battle. You have God and His people to help you in ways you wouldn’t expect. Now, I get to serve through Street Level Ministries and Believers Church Cebu by studying Scripture with fellow students and walking with them as we grow in faith together.

I am forever grateful to God for His patience and grace for me. He met me in my weakness, restored my faith, and placed me into the body where I belong. Today, I learned that obedience is not about convenience, and growth does not happen in isolation. I am thankful to God that He brought me where I am today, and for reminding me that a hand can only live and function when it is connected to the body of Christ.