2010...A Year Of Restoration

by Richard Allen Kent
(Sullivan, Indiana, USA)

Non-Denominational Christian.

Can I ask you a personal question? If I were to ask you today if you were happy with the way you look, what would you say? What I am referring to is our personal state of well being, and our health. Many in this New Year have, like me, resolved to do things such as loose weight, get stronger, and just in sum - get into better shape.

Is this you today? Do we feel that is indeed important to try to stay in a healthy state? What does the Word of God say about our bodies, and how we should care for it?

In 1 Corinthians 6:19 we read: What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? This scripture says that are bodies are the temple. What does that mean?

It means that our bodies are the living place of the Holy Spirit. Now each of you know we wouldn't want our churches to have dirty carpet, torn seats and broken windows, but do we ever really think of our bodies being the temple?

Now of course there are reasons for some problems we face within our bodies, and many times these things are not our doing, but what about the things we can change? If we are neglecting the needs of our bodies, would that be neglecting the temple? I believe it would be. Are we held accountable for such?

In today's world there is the hustle and bustle of every day life. Many of us can't seem to eat healthy or exercise like we should. Technology and advancements have made life so easy that we don't have the need for a strong, well fit body, so it seems. But many times in the Word of God it speaks to us about our responsibility to care for our bodies because they belong to God - amen.

If the living place of the Holy Spirit within each of us is less than orderly, perhaps we lessen the ability for the spirit to work? Now we all know that there is a difference between the physical and spiritual, but I truly believe for us to be all we can be for God we must be fully together in mind, body and spirit.

Now does that mean we have to be slim or ripped in muscle, of course not? But we should make all attempts to take good care of our bodies, trying to avoid the things that hurt it, and hinder its functions. Do any of us today feel our bodies are hindered? Have we taken care of what has been given to us, or have we neglected it?

Let us as we move into the 2010 year resolve to better ourselves not only spiritually, but also in our bodies. Let us desire to make a habit out of healthy living and building up the temple. Let us clean up and restore this temple as we would any of our churches.

Let each of us do all we can to honor this blessing, and tend to its care as God would wish, and if you are in a state of needing healing to move forward then now is your chance to pray to God to receive such healing. May 2010 be a year of restoration, and may his people become strong in all ways.