Your Body to God

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

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.

We all know that smoking is bad for you. Beyond the direct links to lung cancer for cigarettes and throat cancer for pipes and cigars, they're not good for you. And if your desire to give up smoking, and even vaping, for Lent, I'm with you. 

There are many medical reasons why to give up smoking. There are many reasons why you shouldn't even start. At the same time there is a better reason to give it up and to not even start. 

It's in our verse for today. Our bodies are not our own to "do whatever I want to" with. Our bodies are the physical residence of God here on earth. Our bodies were created by God in the womb of our mothers. Our bodies were saved by means of the blood of Jesus Christ, who gave up His body and shed His blood so that our sins and sinful nature are forgiven. Our bodies, especially as believers in Jesus, are temples of the Holy Spirit who guides and directs our lives so that we offer our bodies and our very lives as a sacrifice that continues to live, holy and pleasing to God.

So our spiritual worship is to take care of the body that we have and get up to speed with what God has done for, and with, this body. Let's pray.

Dear Father God, be with us this and every day. Remind us that we who believe in You and Your salvation, are Your temples. Lead us to take care of "Your house" in us. We pray this in Jesus' name, And all God's children say...