Spiritual Formation

A Thought On Honoring the Body

“The spiritual life shows up in bodies that love God and our neighbors as ourselves.” — Adele Calhoun by Major Nancy Helms

We often think of holiness and the work of the Spirit as an inner manifestation; but our body, soul and spirit cannot be separated. The way we treat our bodies directly affects our soul and spirit as well. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in us. We honor our bodies when we: 

  1. Recognize and value them as sacred gifts, created by God, in His image.
  2. Respect them through choosing healthy lifestyles.
  3. Respond by offering them to God as living sacrifices; for His glory, for our abundance and for the sake of others.

SCRIPTURE

“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.” 

1 Corinthian 6:19, 20 (NIV)

SCRIPTURE FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

Contemplate the words of David in the following Scripture passage and consider what a great work God has done in forming every detail of your body, inside and out. Praise God for His marvelous work and consider how, through spiritual discipline, you can carve out a holy space for Him to dwell in and use you.

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.”

Psalm 139: 13-15 (Message)

Steps to Salvation:

The Bible states that God loves you and cares for you as a person (John 3:16). Humankind has been separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23). God sent His Son as a provision for our salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:8). Doing good deeds is not enough (Ephesians 2:8-9), but receiving the free gift of salvation is (John 1:12).

You can invite Jesus Christ into your life right now by praying something like the following:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I need your forgiveness and grace. I believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, and He died in my place, and He rose from the dead. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life as Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sin and making me Your child. Help me to grow and learn how to serve You. Amen.

Prayer for Becoming Wholly Holy

Father, creator of life, we thank You because we are fearfully and wonderfully made in Your image. When You created humankind, You proclaimed it “good,” and we are in agreeance with You. Forgive us for the times we take advantage of our bodies; not appreciating their worth, not caring for them to the best of our ability and not using them for Your glory and the well-being of others. You know and care about every little detail of our bodies from top to bottom, and we entrust them into Your care. Use every part of our being for Your kingdom. Amen. 

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