Honor God With Your Body

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20


I think these two verses are the cornerstone for anyone who desires a healthier, thinner body. I get the feeling that many folks think having the goal of being thinner is worldly or selfish...after all, we're working on a body that will eventually wear out and what's on the inside is what counts, right? I've even heard my favorite author say "you may have a large waist, but if you have a large heart, that's what matters." However, according to this verse, I believe God may view the point differently.

Our bodies are a temple where the Holy Spirit lives, as we highlighted before. We were bought with a price...a very real price where Jesus sacrificed his earthly body for our sin. We, too, are to honor God with our body. I think that this means that we are to treat it as a treasure, taking care of it and making sure to be as healthy as possible.

I also heard an excellent speaker on being fit for service, which I may have mentioned before. If we're sick, we can't serve others because we're not physically capable of it. If our bodies wear out and we die prematurely because of our own bad habits, how much more could we have served God on this earth before we get to be with Him in heaven? On the other hand, when our health is good, that projects into all other areas of our life. We can be of service to the Lord and our neighbors.

I also think when we're overweight, we're more self-conscious. It's more difficult to persuade someone to follow Christ when we have a lack of self-esteem or seem to be lacking in one area or another. Not that this is always the case, but it seems to me that I often become too wrapped up in what others think rather than focusing on the important issues at hand.

Taking care of our physical bodies allows us to grow emotionally, intellectually and Spiritually because these components are all wrapped together in one package while we are here on earth. The Lord commands us to honor Him with our bodies in His holy Word. Will you obey?

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that You care about our bodies. We thank You that You don't think of us as selfish when we are trying to do Your will. Father, please make us fit for service. Allow us to serve You and others on this earth while we are here. Thank You for the price You paid for our bodies and giving us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. May our bodies honor You today and for the rest of our lives. May our journey not be a "diet" but rather our way of life from this moment forward. In Jesus' name, AMEN!