[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during October 2022]
Chains can be functional or decorative. Some people will imagine heavy forgings of iron or steel, others will immediately think of gold or silver jewellery. We can refer to chains of command or the DNA chain. One thing that all chains have in common is links.
It is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If a chain is over-stressed then indeed it is likely that the weakest link will give way first. You can imagine the embarrassment of a mayoral chain of office hanging in two parts or the potential disaster of a broken anchor chain.
It is the weakest link that gets the attention and all the blame when things go wrong but can we afford to be complacent about the other links? A chain functions as a complete unit, each link is essential, from the strongest right through to the weakest. The principal task of all the links in the chain is to keep in contact with its neighbours and help them bear their load; if one fails then the whole objective is compromised.
Can we see parallels with our church community? It too has members who are weaker or stronger than others. Are those of us who are weak in one way or another willing to recognise that? Are those who are stronger willing to help to strengthen their weaker colleagues? The links of a chain must work together to achieve their common objective; so it is with the members of a church, working together and sharing responsibility for achieving God’s plan, whether it be some great project or attracting those who have yet to recognise him.
In many Bible passages chains are used to signify capture or restraint. We see accounts of captured kings, pestilent prophets, desperate demoniacs and arrested apostles being held in chains. The apostle Paul wrote that being in chains was helpful in that it gave him the opportunity to explain the reason to those around him, and it encouraged other believers in their faith too.[1] Do we appreciate the potential of adverse circumstances to strengthen our relationship with God, or do we just grumble?
Being chained is a humiliating experience but those chains are physical. Of much greater danger are those spiritual ‘chains’, those things that restrain our spiritual growth. Procrastination, distraction, indifference, pride and unconfessed sins are some of the links in the chains that hold us back but the death of Jesus Christ offers a way to be released. Can you echo the famous words written by Charles Wesley in 1738?
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
[1] Philippians 1 v12-14
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
