Do Not Taste!

"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Colossians 2:20-23

When I saw this verse, I immediately thought of various diets that we try when we're trying to lose weight. It strikes me as odd that the South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers both work and yet have very different principles. In one, you watch only your carbs in the other you're counting calories and especially fat for points. I've noticed that things that I consider tasty are either high in carbs or high in fat - if something is advertised as 'low-fat' the carbs are usually horrendous and vice versa. Not always true, but in many cases I would laugh in seeing this.

My point with saying all that is that I think sometimes we take a godly principle like treating our temples as holy and therefore trying to lose weight and then turn it into self-worship. I think that this can be accidental (oh, Lord, take away our pride!), but it's something we should be aware of and change. Why do we submit to the world's rules of what we can and cannot have and eat rather than to the Holy Spirit's? Why have we read more weight loss theory than books of the Bible?

As if God were writing to us (oh, yeah, He is!), my favorite verse was "Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their HARSH TREATMENT OF THE BODY BUT THEY LACK ANY VALUE IN RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE." If you remember back to my entry on Esau selling his birthright for food and how he gave up something so important for sensual indulgence, like food, then this should really hit home.

The bottom line is that God's Word is the ONLY thing that can change our bodies. Moreover, He alone is the only One who should be worshipped because of our weight loss. Sometimes I fear that I get so caught up in thinking about calories or have I exercised that I forget that God alone is worthy of my time, thoughts and concentrated efforts. Does that mean I keep on sinning and overeating or doing whatever I want? By no means! (To quote Paul from the Bible.) That simply means that my focus has to be on Christ, who was my original motivation anyway. I came to the end of myself on this journey when I really started to lose weight. I'd tried going about it the world's way, and I only ended up heavier, more hopeless and well on my way to being morbidly obese. When I finally had enough of 'me' and put my faith, hope, trust and love in God, the pounds started melting off my body.

Case in point, last week my kids were sick. Then my husband got sick. I didn't exercise. I didn't eat well - I didn't even think about what I was eating. I became solely caregiver and slept instead of working out in hopes of giving my body the energy it needed to fight off whatever was going around. And you know what? I didn't gain weight. I'm not saying that I can go on like that, but God didn't call me to work out that week. I was trying to listen to Him. So, I rested. Then, even when I didn't feel like it, I've had to get back to business in treating my temple well, which includes eating right, exercising and rest. Normally, I think I would have started to see the scale climb, but I feel like God was for me. And, He gave me the motivation I needed to start back to work (even after being 'lazy' for a week). He alone gets credit for how much I weigh right now and I'll praise Him alone when I lose even more. My journey isn't over, but I must keep my focus not on the gift that I've received but on the Giver Himself. God alone deserves to be worshipped.

Some day I'll get a new heavenly body. If I've only focused on the one I've got now, my journey will have been in vain. But, if I try my best to follow God's commands for this current body while focusing on getting to know the Lord more and more, I'll get more out of this life and the one to come.

So, my advice would be to read the Bible and take it easy on this or that diet. It's not bad to know what's healthy for you, but allow God to be your focus rather than things of this world. He'll reward you... and isn't that what we're looking for?

Dear Heavenly Father, please take these words and make them what You desire to be read. God, it's only Your Word that is life changing. May we not be focused on 'self-worship' or things that seem to have some form of wisdom but rather on Your Word, which can save us from sensual indulgence and make us more like You. Father, please forgive us and rid us of pride and sin. Make this journey about more than just weight loss. May we be more like You and glorify You with our bodies, where Your Holy Spirit dwells. We love You and worship You alone. In Jesus' name, AMEN!