You Are Not Your Own

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. 1 Corinthians 6:19

We sometimes forget that the verse that says “Every good and perfect gift is from above” also includes our bodies.  Very few of us would ever call ours “good”  or even close to “perfect”. From a very early age, we learn to recognize the qualities and flaws we don’t find acceptable in ourselves and would love to change.

A recent Today Show survey found that 60% of women and 36% of men often have many negative thoughts about themselves. Other surveys found those numbers to be much higher, with one reporting that 97% of women admit to at least one “I hate my body!” moment every day!

What pressure we feel to look a certain way no matter our age! And to what measures we go, to try to be satisfied with our appearance. If only we could see ourselves through God’s eyes!

To the “me”generation, (an “It’s my life to do with as I please!”) this verse is a startling reminder that “we are not our own.” Each of us belongs to God. What an incredible thought!

Does that mean that He loves us for who we are, that He cares about us, that we have value to Him? And the answer, of course, is “Yes!” He loves us so unconditionally that He even sent his Son with His saving grace so we could spend eternity with Him. So in return, we should see and treat ourselves with the value and worth He expects and desires us to have.

I am sure we all can look back and see so many ways we should have considered our bodies more honored and sacred through the years – spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It is a challenge in this fast-paced and abundant world we live in to keep a more healthy lifestyle. We probably all need a more balanced diet, more physical activity, a less anxious heart and a much less stressful life.

But most of all, we should see ourselves as the amazing creations God made us to be. He wants us to call on the power of the Holy Spirit living within us to help with our insecurities, our weaknesses, and the burdens of life. He promises His Spirit will calm our anxious souls, comfort our hearts, and give us confidence in who we are and what we can accomplish through Him.  What power we have to be the individuals God created us to be!

In Psalm 139: 14, David’s words remind us that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Man has been studying the body for centuries and still doesn’t understand all there is to know about how it works. How miraculous in design and function it truly is!

Yet, interestingly, when these words were written by Paul to the Corinth church in Greece, the body was not considered to be of utmost importance and how it was used or taken care of was of little concern. To them the soul and spirit were of much more value. Paul encouraged them to view their bodies from our Creator’s perspective, and He reminded them that it was a gift from God – a vessel that holds life and if we trust in Him, it will be filled with His indwelling Spirit.

We are His temple of the Holy Spirit, His sanctuary. These bodies are not ours and they should be treated with reverence and care. To not do so dishonors Him and it dishonors His love for us. They are His and they were made for His use and to show His glory. May we too see ourselves through God’s eyes and honor the individuals He created us to be.

 Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the gift of life and for your spirit residing in us. May we accept and embrace the power and love you so willingly provide. What an amazing work of creation our bodies are. May we appreciate and honor them with our care. Amen.