Appreciating Our Bodies
Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
A young pastor updated his congregation about his five-year-old son who was undergoing chemotherapy for a deadly cancer. After telling them about his son’s conditions and thanking them for their help and prayers, the pastor said something rather unexpected.
He shared how excruciatingly painful it had become for him to hear news reports of people killing themselves through violence, substance abuse, or even overeating. With great emotion he said, “Here we are, fighting for this little child’s life, while some other people have absolutely no appreciation for what they were given!”
Scripture teaches us that our “bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.” As Christians, we are called to honor God with our bodies, and that includes valuing them and taking care of them. Remember that Jesus gave his own body to save us. Now we are encouraged to be good stewards of both body and soul, for we belong to God both physically and spiritually.
This is another way to show our gratitude to God—by maintaining what he gave us through exercise and healthy eating habits. God wants us to be as healthy and fit as possible, as we serve him and our neighbor.
Do you treasure what you have in your life? Do you take good care of yourself and appreciate what Jesus did for you?
Lord, we are thankful for the body of Jesus that was broken for us. Help us to grow in our appreciation of our own bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Rev. Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Rev. Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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