Don’t Kill the Horse

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; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. —1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We live in a body-conscious world. No one can escape the pressure to be thinner, eat right, look a certain way, or wear a certain perfume/cologne. The messages bombard you every time you turn on the TV, scroll through social media, or walk through a mall. Thousands of diet and cosmetics video clips are watched every day. Why? I'll say it again: because we live in a body-conscious world.

The Christian life, however, directs us to look at the body differently than the world sees it. The Bible tells us that our body is a temple. In fact, if you look in the Old Testament and read the details that went into forming the temple, you'll find a vast amount of information. Page after page describes the incredible care and detail that went into creating the House of the Lord. Psalm 139 tells us that the Lord created us with the same detail and care. He knit us together in our mother's womb. You were fearfully, and wonderfully made. The Lord, our Creator, took care when He designed us. Still, because the world's body-conscious message can be found anywhere at any time, the probability of missing God's message increases.

Too often, we don't treat our bodies well. Whether it is sexual immorality, poor eating habits, lack of rest, or drug and alcohol use, we would be wrong to think that the damage to our body does not affect our spirit. The Lord made our bodies special; a place where the New Testament says the Holy Spirit will live within us. He leaves it up to us to take care of our bodies.

Robert Murray McCheyne, a Scottish theologian and pastor, was never known for having great health, but throughout his seven years of ministry he was forced to take time off periodically due to his overworking and exhausting himself. Robert Murray McCheyne said to a friend as he lay dying at the age of thirty, "God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message." The horse he referred to was his own body.

The Lord made you special and unique and with great purpose. He also gave you a body in which to deliver your message. Regardless of calling or station in life, you have a message and a purpose in Christ. So, don’t kill the horse. Take care of your body and keep delivering your message.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What are ways you are not treating your body well? How can you make changes?

2. Why is it often hard to hear above the voices of people to hear the Lord? What are ways you can be deliberate in seeking peace with Him?