The Headless Horseman




Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:22-23

Lately I’ve been thinking about a comic book from grade-school days based on THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW by Washington Irving. The part that I remember most vividly is a frame where the headless horseman gallops through colonial Connecticut carrying his head under his arm. Supposedly a Hessian soldier beheaded by a cannonball during the Revolutionary War, he haunted the countryside and caused great distress to Ichabod Crane, an itinerary schoolteacher in the story.

The fact that I still remember it 45 years later tells you that it made quite an impression on me, but I admit the image of the headless horseman intrigues me more than the story line. After all, what is a body without a head? And what is a head without a body?

Anatomy teaches that the brain commands the vital functions of the body. No head, no body function. And the reverse is true as well. A brain without a body directs without response. A head and a body belong together.

The Bible tells us that every believer is part of Christ’s body. And in the verses above we see that God placed Jesus as head over everything in the church. That means that Jesus is the boss of the church. We answer to Him. He commands the actions of His body. A church that does not acknowledge Christ as its head is like the headless horseman riding blindly through the countryside.

Likewise a believer who tries to go it alone without finding fellowship in Christ’s body is trying to follow a severed head. Only as the head and body are joined together will the body function effectively. It is in fellowship with others in the body of Christ where we find the strength and support to make it through the many troubles of life.

If you are a believer without the fellowship of other Christians, reach out and connect with someone else who believes. Pray and ask Jesus to show you how you can become part of the living church. We all need the loving support and fellowship of other believers. Think about it. Don’t be like the headless horseman.

Dear Jesus, you are the head of your body. Help each of us to find a place of fellowship. Amen.