14. A healthy body…

Over the next few days we will take a look at keeping our whole selves healthy so that we can achieve our dreams and purposes. Jesus defines our bodies in four parts:

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.

Mark 12:30

We will do this in reverse – today starting with strength or body…

In the first chapter of the story of Daniel we read that King Nebuchadnezzar ordered for strong, healthy, and good-looking young men to be brought back from conquered Judah to Babylon to serve in the royal palace. Obviously, the king didn’t want lazy, sickly servants (we’ll leave the good-looking part out!). One of these young fit men was called Daniel and he was faithful to God along with his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who were also chosen. I can imagine Daniel and his mates off on their 10km morning run, lifting weights, and watching their diets to remain physically fit.

However, there was a problem – they were to be given food and wine from the king’s kitchen – rich and yummy and possibly offered to the gods, so Daniel objected:

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”

Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said.

“At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So, after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

Daniel 1:8-16

If you read on in the story you will see that Daniel and his friends impressed the king more than any other servants, they were even 10 times more capable that his own magicians and enchanters. In fact, Daniel becomes ruler over all the province of Babylon, but always his behaviour is upright and true to his God.

Much, much later, Paul writes to the church at Corinth about how they should conduct themselves:

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

So, what does this have to do with us 21^st century Christians?

I quote Paul in his letter to the Corinthians:

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honour God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Paul urges the churches he writes to to behave in an upright and holy manner. To avoid defiling our bodies with gluttony, sexual immorality, greed, drinking, cheating, and the list goes on. Nothing much has changed over the centuries and God is still calling on us to respect our physical bodies as temples in which the Holy Spirit lives so that we can fulfil his purposes for us.

Here’s a bit of a checklist for us to measure ourselves against with regards to physical health:

1. What food are you eating and how much? McDonalds three times a week? Lashings of cream on your high carb dessert? Snacking on chips, chicko rolls, lollies, and all things snack-worthy? Drinking five coffees a day? Or are you eating your 5 veg and 2 fruits every day in balanced proportions. Is food something you fuel yourself with or does it control you?
2. What about drinking alcohol. Do you enjoy a nice glass of wine with a meal or is drinking becoming your go to for relaxation after a hard day’s work? Could you stop drinking alcohol if called to?
3. Are you a smoker (as a laryngectomee who never smoked I implore you to stop as it is the leading cause of throat cancer), is it time to join a quit smoking program? Do you take some form of illicit drugs, is it time to get yourself into rehab?
4. Do you exercise? Do you do some form of exercise every day (other than watching the cricket or football on the TV!)? My current aim is 6000 steps every day – I don’t always make it, and my knees often complain but exercise is vital for us at all stages of life. Maybe give swimming a try if you don’t like walking or join a gym program. There are multiple exercise videos you can download.

How do you rate?

Prayer: Lord, I confess that I don’t always pursue the narrow path to a healthy lifestyle. I get lazy and can’t be bothered to exercise. Sometimes I over-indulge in food and wine. Lord, given me the self-discipline and the will to choose to look after my body so that it remains a temple that is worthy of your Holy Spirit.

Amen

Action: Reflect on your physical wellness. Are there areas where you need to improve? Write down three things you can change right now to improve your physical health and commit them to God. Maybe check in with a friend or family member for accountability. Then go for it…

Journal your thoughts: