AMAZING BODIES

God gives us many blessings, but one of the greatest is the remarkable bodies we have. The Psalmist says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14, quotations are from the NIV.). Our bodies have the ability to fight disease and infection and to repair themselves. But, as with many of God's blessings, we either handle them wisely or not. We have one body to get us through this life on earth. How we choose to take care of it largely determines how long it will last and what condition it will be in. We should know that, in order for it to function optimally as God intends, we need to give it the right “fuel” (nutrition) and exercise. An event in the life of Daniel in the Old Testament is very relevant to this discussion. Daniel and his three friends were being given all the choice foods and wine from the king's table. They refused to “defile themselves” with these foods and asked to be given “pulse” foods (KJV), which are vegetables, seeds, and beans. On this diet they became “healthier and better nourished” than those eating the royal food (Daniel 1:5 –16).

The Bible says that early humans ate seed-bearing plants and fruit. (Genesis 1:29) After the flood God permitted them to eat everything (Genesis 9:3). But God also says that we should choose wisely: “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23). I remember holding my firstborn and wanting to give him the best nutrition and the best start in life that I could. I breast fed and swore to give him only healthy food. As time went on though, the influences of the world invaded and we too ate fries and burgers and bought candy for the kids.

We all need to be reminded that our bodies are an amazing gift from God, and we need to take proper care of them. The apostle Paul said he had to buffet his body and make it his slave (1 Corinthians 9:27). Are we a slave to our appetites? Do they control us? God even says that “physical exercise is of some value” (1 Timothy 4:8).

If we abuse our bodies with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, overeating, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition, how can we then look to God and say, “Your will be done.” Or how can we say, “It's up to God,” when we suffer the consequences of our bad choices? We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7) is a biblical truth and we see it played out in all areas of our lives: relationships, jobs, health, finances, etc. God gives us so many blessings in so many ways, but we are responsible for using them correctly and wisely.

— Cynthia Clayton

Picture credits:
©Patty Gibson