Borrowed bodies

So I'm the kind of person who thinks that health and exercise is really important. I'm fairly active, and I have been known to 'go vegan' for months on end complaining that eggs and heavy red meat pains my stomach.
But a nice lindt chocolate normally brings me back round to consciousness, wink, wink.
When I'm healthy I feel so much better. I work far more efficiently and skillfully. Surely that's a good thing?
Is it really okay to abuse our bodies?
We know junk food isn't good for us, yet we still eat it. I've managed to get myself to the point where certain fast foods make me wanna retch when I think of what they've put in it. I haven't eaten anything from McDonalds for a year and one month!

But, I mean as a Christian, I am meant to strive for holiness and live to glorify God. I am his tool to be used as and when he needs me, whether I want to or not. Because I don't 'own' myself anymore. I have been bought, the holy spirit is my down payment.

 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.                     1 Corinthians 6v19-20

I know that if I were borrowing something from a friend I would be more careful with that item than if I myself owned it. So shouldn't I regard my body in the same way?


Also, as a child of God, I know he has a plan for me and my life; I need to be fit for his service. I am far more capable when I am healthy and well. There is far less I can do if I am ill. I am far more useful in good health.
It's interesting to see in the bible how people who were greatly used for God's glory were fit and healthy too.
As a teenager Joseph walked 50 miles to take food to his brothers in Genesis 37.
Moses was able to climb Pisgah Peak in Mount Nebo at 120 years old, in Deuteronomy 34. Moses would've had to have been very fit during his life in order to be able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land. And we are told that 'his eye was not dull, nor had his vitality departed' when he died. He was fit and healthy to the end.
Elijah ran 90 miles in one go in 1 Kings 19, this was after running 20 and taking a wee break!
Matthew 15 says that Jesus walked to the districts of Tyre and Sidon, some 50 miles away.
Mary Magdalene ran from Jesus' tomb to Jerusalem; told Peter and John that his body was gone an they ran back to the tomb, and John beat Peter! This distance was approximately 3 miles. In Luke 24, two disciples walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus, had dinner, then went back, making a round trip of 15 miles, just for dinner.
So these people were fit, some more so than others. There are other passages showing the vitality and stamina of other bible characters. In contrast, the pagan kings, were overweight, some very much so. They considered it an honour.

So, do you eat to live, or live to eat?

Personally, I love food!! And I truly have to exercise restraint. But, the more I am able to control my fleshy desire for food, the more I grow in self-control; self control is one of the fruits of the spirit, and shows the Holy spirit working in.

Something to ponder........

If you stop fearing the Lord, you will stop fearing SIN. And when that happens, everything you deem unthinkable suddenly becomes tolerable, passable, admirable, moral, legal, and even applaudable. Dear Lord Jesus, help me to uproot such seeds of sin growing in my life and allow me to draw down daily grace so that I may glorify You with every fiber of my being. Take control of my soul, my mind, my emotions and my will. I long to follow You by all that I am even though it’s obvious I need more grace than I thought.                                        Adam Young - October 2011

So I found this passage on Adam Young's blog last month. And I think it's brilliant! He puts it so well. A fear of God is necessary to fear sin. Sin keeps us apart form God, it disrupts our relationship with him. A bit like when a child disobeys their parent, it disrupts what should be a harmonious relationship. We should regard sin with the same disgust as he does.Sin shouldn't be an option. But it can become one. Some revel and boast in their sin. They have no fear for their heavenly Father. God punishes us, just like a decent Father will discipline his children. And based on some of the punishments given to the Israelites in the Old Testament, I really don't fancy disobeying God too often!
I like the end bit, where he says he needs more grace then he initially thought. Pride likes to tell us that we're doing okay, that we're not that bad, but in reality we need vast oceans of God's grace every single day - I know I do!