The Temple is a bit of a Mess!

"Don't you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16 NCV

"You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get away with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred - and you, remember, are the temple." 1Corinthians 3:16-17 The Message

There's nothing like posting pictures of yourself on Facebook to realize that those extra 20 pounds are still there. Sometimes I hope that if I ignore them long enough, they'll just go away....but no such luck. In my head my rationalizing thoughts immediately chime in: I don't want to be obsessed with my weight, I've been this size for a long time, It's just my natural shape, I don't have time to exercise....all of which are somewhat true. However, when I think of my body as God's temple, these excuses fall pretty short.

Yes, my temple has gotten a bit sloppy and messy. Thankfully God loves me anyway, but that can't be another excuse to avoid exercise. If I was in charge of cleaning our church I certainly would want it looking it's best and prettiest, with all the needed repairs getting done promptly. Why is it any different when it comes to my body? My body is supposed to be God's hands and feet in this world...I wonder what kind of a first impression I'm making on His behalf?

Jesus, I am so grateful for the gift of your Spirit which lives in me. Help me to care for my body, Your temple, so that I may continue to do Your work. Help me not to vandalize my body with lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Give me the strength to make my body healthier and more attractive, so that I can be a visible and shining example of Your Spirit in this world.

Life Steps: Think about what you could do to improve your body's health and condition. Maybe we need to start first, with the attitude shift that is required when we see our bodies as God's temple. But what is the next step? For me, it is committing to exercising more often and more consistently, finding time to do it, and making it a priority. And definitely asking for God's grace to do it!