I loved the illustration but the text gave me a little pause for thought. I do think the facts it states are true. Our body does serve our soul. A healthy, fit body helps keep our mind sharp and active. Our soul, the full expression of "who we are," does serve our spirit. And, certainly, our spirit does serve God.
But.
I think my body also serves God. When I put my physical arms around the shoulders of a sister in distress, I am loving her with the arms and love of Jesus. Didn't He say, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matt. 25:40)
I think my soul also serves God. My soul encompasses my personality, attitudes, emotions and intellect. It's the expression of the person I am. When my soul is filled with joy and peace ... when my attitudes are loving and kind ... doesn't that draw others to me and open the way for me to share the SOURCE of my joy and peace? Jesus is the source of my joy, my peace, my kindness, my love for others. Trust me, apart from Him, nothing good dwells in me!
And my spirit. Oh, yes. My spirit serves God. Out of my spirit I worship and adore Him. But doesn't my spirit serve others as well? Isn't it the Jesus in me that connects with the Jesus in you and bonds us together as sisters in Christ? That's a spirit serving spirit connection.
So what do you think when you look at this illustration? I'm interested to hear your thoughts. I wish you were here so we could have a cup of coffee and talk about it.
The thing I liked most about this picture is that the head of the body and the head of the soul are both lowered and the spirit is standing tall and erect with arms directed to God. That says to me that the spirit is the one ultimately in control of the other two. That's how I want the delicate balance of spirit-soul-and body to be played out in my life. I want my spirit, as it is filled with HIS SPIRIT, to be in control of my body and soul.
I love the way this picture displays the interwoven aspects of the one person we are. Spirit, soul and body might be three distinct aspects of the one person we are. But there is no way to have one without the other two. Isn't that what scripture means when it tells us we are created in the image of God? We are a triune being. He is the perfect trinity - also a triune being. He is God the Father. He is God the Son. He is God the Holy Spirit. Interwoven. One. Yet three. And there is no way to have one without the other two.
Sometimes, we believers get so focused on one aspect of God that we neglect His other persons. Let's worship Him in beauty and TRUTH. Let's maintain the delicate balance. Let's embrace the wholeness of God and let it bring us to our own personal wholeness.
The words of an old chorus fill my heart as a prayer this morning:
Gracious Father - We're so blessed to be your children!
Precious Jesus - We're so glad that You've redeemed us!
Holy Spirit - Come and fill our hearts anew.
Holy, Holy! We lift hearts before you as a token of our love.
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