Today’s Verse

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “body”? My guess is that you just started thinking about all the things you don’t like about your body. Maybe you are even wondering why God would make you a certain way - I’m trying to figure out why I am still occasionally getting pimples in my 50s!

We likely all have things that we don’t like about our bodies, but have you ever wondered what God thinks? We usually only think about our bodies in terms of physical characteristics, but to God, our bodies mean more. In Romans, we read that our bodies are to be offered as a living sacrifice, as worship. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV), the Bible says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

Like everything else God has given us here on earth, our bodies are ours to steward, but they belong to the Lord. We wouldn’t destroy our house or fill it with garbage, so why are we so quick to fill our bodies with junk? We often fall prey to the idea that quick and easy equals better, but when it comes to what we eat and how we take care of our bodies, quick and easy almost never equals better. 

I haven’t always been great at this and I’m certainly not an expert, but God has changed my perspective on taking care of my body over the years. I have learned that I can’t separate this part of my life from my relationship with the Lord. I have the opportunity to make choices every day that will glorify the Lord with how I take care of my body as I grow in understanding and obedience.

REFLECTION

Spend some time reflecting on what God has to say about your body and how intricately it is tied to your spiritual growth and relationship with him.