By Gina Caswell Kelly
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19.
Ouch! Does that step on your toes like it does mine? I was reading a devotional this morning that talked about how we need to realize that overeating and not taking care of our bodies is a sin. Well!! How rude! But, I am afraid it is the truth. We are not our own. We belong to God and, if you have given your heart to Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in you.
Also in 1st Corinthians, Paul writes, “Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” So I am standing here asking myself, “Did those three biscuits you ate this morning bring glory to God?” I know the answer. Much of what we put into our bodies does not make our bodies healthy or strong. We live in a fast food, instant gratification world. We have to start recognizing that when we are not eating correctly, we are sinning.
In Psalm 139, it says, “I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well.” He made us in the most wonderful way. He created us for greatness. He had a plan when He created us, and part of that plan includes presenting Him with a healthy body to do the work He has before us.
We honor God when we make good choices and make wise decisions. We often think about that as just being out in the world, but the truth is we are supposed to make wise decisions about what we put into our bodies. And it is not just our eating. What kind of physical shape are you in? We need to also realize that we need to care for our bodies physically by getting some exercise every single day. My daddy had a hip that needed replaced. But he wouldn’t take care of it. Overtime, he was pretty much confined to the house. I am convinced that if he had continued to be active and take care of his body like he had in his earlier life, his mind would have continued to be healthy, as well. Or at least not detonated quite as quickly.
Our body is composed of different parts and all of it needs to be working like it should in order for us to live healthy, peaceful lives of service to God. We are designed by God to glorify God. We are created with a plan in front of us. A plan to serve Him and make a difference in the world.
Now that I have stepped on all our toes, I ask you, is the way you are treating your body honoring God? Be intentional this week about treating your body like the temple and perfect creation it is! It will make a difference.
