New attitude

I have been so blessed to be in a bible study for the last 6 months or so, studying a Beth Moore study "A woman's heart, God's dwelling place." And may I be so bold as to say that it was life-changing? That Beth Moore, she is so blessed and gifted with sharing God's Word. Oh how I am just so thankful for her!

So at the end of our study on Tuesday, 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 was a culminating verse and point that stood out to me like never before. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." It doesn't say "Try your best to honor God with your body" the Bible says HONOR GOD with your body.

I realized that his body of mine really is just on loan. The passage tells us that we 'are not our own. We were bought at a price,' so my thoughts of being able to do whatever I want and eat whatever (either good or bad) I choose are really false thoughts, because this body I have is just on loan to me from God. He fully expects me to take care of it and to honor Him with it at all times. What a privilege! I am so thankful he trusts me so much to care for something that HE, the God of the Universe has made.

So now, more than ever, I am committed to taking care of this body, this outer shell that He has loaned to me. And when I say 'take care of it' I don't mean get it to look the way the world thinks it should look, I mean nurturing it, giving it the food, water and REST it deserves and showering it with love as God would do. It is His anyways, the least I can do is care for it like He would. That's what borrowing means right?, taking care of something that isn't yours and giving it back to the rightful owner in its original shape. Not borrowing something then giving it back all broken and bruised, what kind of respect does that show?

I am thankful for the reminder that this shell of mine is valued and was painstakingly created just for me, as yours was for you. Psalm 139:13 tells us "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

I have seen over the last 6 months of this Beth Moore study how beautiful each of us really are and that God wants nothing more than for us to appreciate the body He has loaned to us. Let us respond by nurturing our bodies, not wishing they were different. We are in fact, wonderfully and fearfully made!