Why does your body matter to God? We have heard the saying “your body is a temple.” But what does that mean? 

After I graduated college and was commissioned into the Air Force, I was 22 years old with more money than I knew what to do with. With an abundance of money and little discipline, eating out was always the most convenient. ‍

I convinced myself it was necessary since I would just waste food if I bought it and cooked, because cooking for one was so hard. In the absence of discipline and seeking convenience I gained the post college 20. ‍

I started to feel sluggish and wasn’t fitting into my clothes, I knew I needed a change. At the recommendation of a friend I found a gym, that was 11 years ago. That time formed a discipline for exercise in my life that I had never had before and I have maintained ever since. ‍

“You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.” - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 MSG‍

Realizing that I was not taking care of myself physically was a moment of awakening. As I look back now, I know that time was a time God was cultivating discipline in my habits. 

‍My relationship was not as strong with Him, but He was working. He was teaching me what it meant to take accountability for my choices. He was showing me that the decisions I make impact the path I want to take. 

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Taking care of our body is a reflection of our relationship with God

‍How we care for our bodies is a reflection of how we care for and respect our relationship with God. When we use, misuse, and abuse the gift of our life that is found in our body we are telling God what we think of His creation. ‍

We were not given a life to squander. We were given life to prosper and to live out a purpose. When we do not take care of the vessel that will carry us through the purpose we were created for, then what God has for us becomes difficult to accomplish. 

‍Not caring for ourselves will create distractions of discomfort, pain and ailments that keep us consumed with fear and worry. This is not the life He wants for us. He wants us to prosper and live well. We can rise above fear, worry, and anxiety by putting in the effort each day to deny our flesh of the comforts of the world that can compromise our bodies and thus our Spirit.

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How can we take care of our body?

Some ways we can take care of our bodies is by exercising, eating well, and committing to getting rest each night. The Sabbath is not a day to overlook. 

‍“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” - Exodus 20:8-11

If God needed rest, then we most certainly do. Scripture says He blessed that day and made it holy, so our lives are actually being more blessed when we use that time to rest, get refreshed, and connect with Him, instead of hustling all the time. 

‍This is all to say that we can still indulge in the gifts God provides. We simply need to be aware of the habits we are forming, so as not to become carried away by the indulgences and left with a life devoured by the enemy.

‍Our body is a gift from God. Just like any gift we receive, we show gratitude and respect to the person who gave us that gift by taking care of it. 

‍This is a good time to ask yourself, are you setting habits of discipline to ensure the care of your body as a reflection of your gratitude to God? Or do you settle for convenience and the acceptance of the way the world does things as good enough? How do you value the gift of your life that God has given you?

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