Temple Tending

19 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; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

--1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“You are the only you you’re ever going to have.”  I thought of that phrase as I pondered how I would “tweet” the sermon if I was limited to a phrase or two.   

If you weren’t at Advent yesterday, we explored the above passage from 1 Corinthians.  Paul clearly declares that what we do to and with our bodies matters, because our bodies are temples, vessels of the Holy Spirit who is in us.  

The larger context of that passage is sexual immorality, but yesterday we focused on tending our temples, which we defined as caring for our bodies.  

I shared my temple tending story.  In August of 2011, I had my annual physical.  Here’s what my physician had to say to me that day: 

“Here’s the deal: When you first started coming to us 4.5 years ago you weighed 178.  Today you weighed 206.  You have a very strong family history of high cholesterol and diabetes.  Over the past 4.5 years your fasting blood sugar has slowly increased.  Today it was 123.  We consider 140 diabetic.  Michael, you’re running around taking care of everybody else, but you’re not taking care of yourself, and if you don’t buckle down, change your habits, lose weight and exercise, you are going to be diabetic before you turn 40.”  Then, he said, “Michael, you’re not taking very good care of your temple.”  

He knew I’d immediately know that he was referring to 1 Corinthians 6.  And, he was exactly right.  I wasn’t tending my temple.

As I shared on Sunday, I now weigh 174, which is down considerably from 206, BUT it is up from the 168 I weighed when I moved to Simpsonville at the beginning of September.  Our stewardship series, culminating with stewardship of our bodies, has been the fuel I needed to stoke the fires of discipline.  So, this morning I hit the treadmill for a little temple tending before anything else.

From your comments on the way out of the sanctuary on Sunday, I could tell that Paul’s admonition to remember that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit struck a cord.  I hope that you have taken the step of reaching out to a trusted friend to be your accountability partner.  After all, you are the only you you’re ever going to have.  Discipline is worth it.  AND, small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.  

Those of you reading this via email, please click on my blog page to view an eye-opening video created by a physician.  It should supply you a little more motivation. 

The Only Me I’ll Ever Have,

Pastor Michael