The passage on the above graphic continues right alongside the one we discussed yesterday. If you'll remember, we determined that in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul was primarily writing to the young church at Corinth about sexual immorality. Now don't tune me out, girls. I'm not going to write about sex again today. I am, after all, a little gray-haired old lady. One day on that topic is enough for me! LOL
The fact that this, and other passages in the Bible, teach that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit has always been a truth God has used to deal with me about my unhealthy eating habits. The body we have, whether we like it or not, is the only one we will ever have here on earth. If we are going to have the energy, stamina, and longevity to do the work God calls us to do, we must take care of our physical bodies.
For me, most recently, that has meant that I had to quit making excuses. And that's a real shame too, girlfriends, because I'd gotten exceptionally good at making excuses. GRIN! Just one of the many ways I'm "exceptional" - that's a joke, girls! Actually, making excuses for ourselves is way too commonplace to be exceptional. Most all of us have become very proficient at making excuses over the course of our lives. It may well be our greatest area of creativity. Rationalizing our behavior forces us to grab a wide variety of resources. About two months ago, God got my attention about taking better care of his temple - my body - and I began by laying my excuses at His feet and beginning to walk in truth.
I began confronting and recognizing the lies I'd been believing that had supported my unhealthy eating habits and replacing them with God's truth. I began rehearsing that truth over and over (and am continuing to do that daily) and God began renewing my mind. Those of you who read this blog in March and April have heard those four R's a few times, haven't you? Yes, the pounds are beginning to come off; but I can't begin to describe to you how totally insignificant that has become to me. Of far greater importance is how I feel in my spirit about walking in obedience to God. There are not adequate words to describe it.
What about you and your temple maintenance, sweet sisters? You may not be like me and have any struggles with your weight at all. But you still have a body that has certain nutritional needs for optimum health and benefit. Even thin people can have poor eating habits. Some of the ones of you who do struggle with your weight, may latch onto the latest fad diet and abuse your body in horrendous ways to gain quick results. Or, you may starve yourself to gain that coveted smaller size. That's as harmful as the excess weight! We need to remind ourselves that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and ask ourselves, "Am I eating healthy foods in healthy amounts that adequately nourishes my body?"
What about exercise? Our bodies - those temples that need to be fit for the resident Holy Spirit - were not designed to sit and be sedentary like so many of us have become. Our bodies are made of muscle and muscle was made to move. We need to incorporate healthy activity into our lives in ways that keep our physical bodies active and toned. The possibilities are endless, girls. Even an old fuddy duddy like me can find forms of exercise that are enjoyable. Frankly, I honestly ENJOY my Leslie Sansone at home walking DVD's. I enjoy working in my flower beds with its bending, stretching and shoveling. I enjoy swimming with my grandchildren. They like to ride on my back as I swim underwater across the pool. Sometimes they even stand on my back and play like I'm a surfboard! We may have outgrown that this year - they are 7 years old now, after all! And, hey, I've even learned to enjoy sweating. I used to have this whole comedy routine, complete with scripture, to support my theory that God didn't like sweat. I can't remember what the scripture was now - but it was a joke anyway. God created sweat to be the body's natural cooling mechanism. Sweat's a good thing!
What about rest? Scientist's are proving more and more every day how dangerous it is to deprive our bodies of adequate rest. There was an article in our local newspaper about it one day this week.
What about stress? Let's save that one for another day. I don't want to stress you out!
So what about it, girls? How is the temple you provide for the Holy Spirit? Is it healthy and fit because you take proper care of it through healthy eating, moderate exercise and adequate rest? If it's not, let God tell you what changes you need to make and then ask Him to help you make them. He's the best personal trainer you'll ever find. Honor Him with your body.
We seem to flit through life thinking our body is our own and we can decide it's okay to be overweight, out of shape, weary and stressed to the max if that's the life we choose. But this scripture tells us otherwise. Read what it says again: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price."
Bought at a price. Now girls, if someone buys you, what does that make you? It makes you their property, doesn't it? In some places of our world people are still able to purchase other people. The ones they have bought become their slaves. Growing up in America - the land of the free - we don't like to think of ourselves as slaves. But at one time, we were all slaves. Slaves to sin. Then Jesus paid the very costly price of His shed blood on Calvary's cross to purchase us - and now we belong to Him.
The great paradox is that it is only as slaves to Him that we are truly free!
- Free from the law with all its legalism - living by the Spirit who gives life and liberty
- Free from the past - living with a new heritage - heirs of God
- Free from sin - living with the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live in obedience to God
1 comment:
Well said!!
I love the line about being exceptional at making excuses but in actuality, it has become commonplace because most of us are so good at it!
Post a Comment