Caring For The Body

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19

"And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“ I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

This might sound weird today, but I've found the best diet plan ever. I can still eat whatever I want, and still maintain healthiness. This is the diet plan that everyone should follow, because you get results. And you never would guess where I found it...in the Bible.

In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?" Ecclesiastes 6:12

" And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching." Titus 2:7

I've written before about how I've really felt led to take better care of what is around me when I can by recycling and using earth-friendly products, and that kind of thing. I think it makes sense to take care of what God has given us- he tells us to take care of what he has given us. But I don't think I've written before about taking care of the body. It sounds like a trivial thing perhaps, but just as we only get one planet, we only get one body. Stands to reason that we should take care of this precious body as much as we can. And being a child of God, I should take care of this body in a manner befitting a child of a King.

I guess maybe I mis-spoke earlier when I said a "diet plan" per se, but it really has changed the way I eat thinking about this temple I am in possession of. I have become mindful of what goes in my mouth. Now that doesn't mean I'm avoiding desserts, or avoiding a type of food like carbs, or avoiding fat, it just means I think about it ahead of time. And if I am going to indulge in something that is a little less healthy, I eat a few bites to enjoy it, but then that's enough. There is no reason to be gluttonous. I eat three meals a day, maybe a few munchies in between, and I even have the occasional glass of wine. But never to excess. I don't drink to excess, and I don't eat to excess- even if I truly love that taco salad.

I'm sure this all sounds trivial, and I may even be getting a few rolling eyes here, but I dare you to try it. Just for a few days. Take these verses that I have written above and put them somewhere prominent- on a kitchen cupboard or on the fridge. And before you put something in your mouth, thank God for the morsel of food in your hands. Then enjoy the first bite. Enjoy every nuance of what you've just eaten. Take your time and take pleasure in the wonderful things that God has put on this earth for us to nourish our bodies with. When you sit down to a full meal, again, take your time. Thank God for the rancher who raised the cattle which you are eating, and thank God for the produce worker at your grocery store (while, you're at it, pray for an opportunity to chat with him sometime). Then, slowly, enjoy that which God has given you. Not only will you better appreciate what you're eating, but you will also find yourself eating less. You will eat the amount of food your body needs, instead of having a second or third helping, just because it's so good. Because when you've finished the meal on your plate, you will feel completely satisfied.

There are obviously other aspects to caring for the body... there's exercise, which we all know is important, but don't necessarily do, and there's personal hygiene, which I hope we all know is important. But I really think that once you get into the mind-frame that this body is all that you get...this body belongs to God, and he wants to see how you take care of it, that it all falls into place. Exercise (at least for me) may not necessarily be formal exercise. Some days, scrubbing the bathroom can be a better workout than anything I could do at a gym. We only get one shot with this body, and thanking God for what we have, and being mindful of this is at least, enough for me to keep from going overboard. This body truly is a temple, and every day I have with it I am thankful.