“Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse or neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding. Just for today I will have a quiet half hour by myself and relax. In this half hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life. Just for today I will be unafraid. Particularly, I will be unafraid to be happy; to enjoy what is beautiful; to love; and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.”
Perhaps you’ve seen that t-shirt slogan “My other body is a temple” I always have to smile, but I’m sure we are all well aware of the benefits in looking after our bodies. When I was younger I put my body through years of abuse in various ways, smoking, drinking to excess, starvation diets and binge eating to name but a few, I am amazed it is still functioning, God has indeed been gracious. Today I ‘care’ for my body, it is a long way from a ‘perfect machine’ but it is the one God gave me and I feel it is worth taking care of.
Caring for our bodies physically is indeed important; caring for them spiritually is a must if we want to exercise our faith. Do you have a daily half-hour spiritual work-out? The days I begin by sitting at my kitchen table and spending time with my Father always seem more manageable than the days I don’t take time to invite him in.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3: 19-21)
Many have taken these words as an evangelistic text in which Christ is standing at the door of the sinner’s heart, pleading and weeping that they will open the door so that he may come in and save them. But that misses the point altogether. This verse is not addressed to the unbeliever; it is addressed to the church, specifically to God's elect within the church. Christ is speaking to those that He loves; those that He rebukes out of that love and seeks to bring back to Himself. We can often be far away from him, lost in our own worldly trappings and too busy to seek his face.
We need to look to Christ each day for the truth he wants to reveal in our lives as we journey to greater wholeness and a deeper personal relationship with him and believe that as we give of ourselves, so the Lord gives to us.
Thank you Lord for being my own personal Jesus, someone who hears my prayers, someone who cares.
