Take Care Of Your Body

Last week a disturbing–but not unexpected–report came out that showed as many people die from inactivity as those who die from smoking.

If you really think about it, the report is not surprising at all. Little or no activity kills.

As Christians, we should take this to heart. God created us, and put us on earth for a purpose. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. We should seek to care for our bodies and live as long as possible to carry out His purpose. That is basically the conclusion Paul came to when he said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Though desirous to be with the Lord, he chose to remain and be a blessing to the believers in Philippi (Philippians 1: 21-26). This should be our choice as well.

What should we do and how should we do it?

First, make a commitment to God to offer your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1-2). Surely, giving our body to God would include taking care of your body. We don’t need an “I’m going to start a diet next week” declaration. We need a commitment to God to place everything about us under His control. As we commit ourselves to God, we start this process in the right way.

Second, do this to glorify God. This is not about looking better or being in better shape, it is about doing everything to the glory of God. If we diet or exercise, do it for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

In a passage dealing with immoral behavior, Paul reminded us we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are not our own, we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Third, develop a life-long plan to care for your body and to please God in every way with the stewardship of your body. By all means, please don’t lose 30 pounds in 30 days. Rather, set out to care for your body for a lifetime.

I would suggest you work on a five year plan to “get healthy.”  Getting healthy means eating right, getting exercise, sleeping well, not smoking, and a host of other issues.

I want us to have the stamina and energy to serve God for a lifetime. Glorify God with your body.

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4 Responses

  1. Scientific evidence shows that muscle mass may be built well into a person’s 90’s. When my mother was in her 80’s she had knee replacement surgery. She had been overweight my entire life. A fact she blamed on me for being a big late baby. With my own blown discs (cervical & lumbar) in the contracting business that was centered around training, building, facilitating new christians and those who were working their way through seminary, it was clear my physical ability was not able to keep pace. My intent was to use my ‘book learning’ (undergraduate and master degrees) in the field of education. My Mother sought my help after my Dad passed in 1995 which turned into a full time job managing property and financials. She sought to keep her financials private from her daughter and everyone else. I respected her wishes. I put my mother on a health program of exercise that put her in the best shape of her life since I had been alive. Her weight came down from near 200 lbs. to 155 with a target of 145 lbs. Her daughter, an educator, asked to have her for a month to herself. That month lost all the progress gained over several years which has never been recaptured. All our lives are threatened. The quality of life lost and that same tenacious intent of a jealous daughter has strangled the generational fortune of memories and possessions for all our children. Not to mention destroying the plan God gave us, as she destroyed the bulk of the passive income to facilitate ministry to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

    From our early twenties the body has stopped the growing process physically and begins the dying process. Decay management is left up to us. Someone who takes the position that the last one standing wins, will have eternity with their winnings to consider what and how they won.

    Jay had a sweet message Sunday. It little to do with how to cope with in unequally yoked situation where modeling Godly behavior is met with adversity in the name of god. It takes a Godly community who are intelligently seeing His Vision to counteract the flesh god having social support. I kept the struggle to myself for over 12 years. God’s message: reach out to His Church. I’ve been looking; where is it, I ask.

  2. Waylon, thank you for this article. As leader of a First Place 4 health program, I’m always on the lookout for things to encourage and challenge group members, and this fits the bill. And it came while I was studying a First Place writer’s book, “Don’t Quit, Get Fit!” In it, author Vickie Heath proposes that we can obey Romans 12:1-2, worshipping God with our body as we work up a sweat exercising, as we pray and praise Him while out jogging, or even as we select healthy foods at the store or use self-control in choosing what goes in our mouth.

    Eating can be an act of worship, if we do it “to the glory of God.” But oftentimes, what is worshipped is food, not the Creator. And that’s where folks get into trouble.

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