My Body – a temporary temple
As I get older, I realize that my body can’t do what it used to do. I remember my teenage years of being strong doing lots of manual labor. I don’t do as much manual labor as I once did and I usually remember it for about three days as I recover. A few days ago, I decided to put up some real estate signs because the physical labor was therapeutic for me. I usually hire someone to do this for me, but I decided to make time for me and to physically do this myself. These are not simply yard signs to be planted in the front yard, these were signs that require digging holes with hole diggers, etc.… It took longer than I expected, but I did feel accomplished when I arrived home that evening. My body is not nearly as strong as it once was, but I still work doing physical labor. I was reminded this morning that God’s Spirit dwells in my body, so I should pay more attention to it. Check this out…
18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NLT)
This passage reminded me of just how powerful a sexual society we are in. I was also reminded of how destructive sexual sin can be on our lives as well as our soul. The Creator/Designer of our bodies gives specific instructions regarding use of our body. It seems that we often ignore His instructions as archaic and outdated. I feel a bit of relief when I remember the grace that comes in that part of this passage that says: “You do not belong to yourself, for God bought with a high price”. I really want to pay attention and honor God with my physical body – the things I eat, drink, and activities. It is really obvious with the eating part. I need His help being disciplined in all areas of my life. I do want to honor God with my mouth, my devoted heart and the behaviors of my physical body. He dwells inside me – my body is a temporary dwelling place of His Spirit – that is a big responsibility that He will actually help me with. As long as I live I want to take care of this body where He dwells daily.
Pressing On!
Dwayne