This is my body, and yet it is not just mine. Paul tells us our bodies are Temples of The Holy Spirit.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of The Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
1 Corinthians 6:19
He punctuates that statement by saying, "You are not your own."
Jesus confirmed our bodies are His. When He said, "This is My Body, given for you," He was not talking about a death sentence. He was talking about a Gift. He was revealing how He would continue to minister on earth.
Just as God The Father created The Body of Jesus, He created each of our bodies. What made Jesus' Body special was God in Him.
Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever The Father does The Son also does."
John 5:19
What makes us a Temple of The Holy Spirit's Presence is God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit in us.
Jesus said, "On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you."
John 14:20
When I first realized God was in me always, I was overcome with Joy. The knowledge He has never left me for a second and never will is wonderful news!
However, I have a hard time letting Him do what He wants to do with the body I claim as mine, but is clearly His.
As seen throughout the Bible, satan can attack the body. He would love to evict us and take on God next. Satan cannot kill me. The number of my days in this body are already set by He Who created it.
But satan can call from outside my body and try to get me to listen to what he is saying. He can shoot at my body, shake the doors and rattle the windows.
He can entice me to open the door and look outside. He can offer me trays of goodies and say each delectable has the knowledge I need to take care of my problems.
Would God allow His Body to be attacked? I really don't like the answer to that one. I look at Job and a whole bunch of other bodies that were on earth and I see bodies under attack.
Then I look at Jesus, The Pioneer and Perfecter of my faith, and I see His Body ruthlessly attacked.
Then I remember those I saw suffering in hospitals and nursing homes. And I shutter.
But what I also remember is The Light that shone brightly through every crack in the outer walls.
I remember surrender of bodies that were not surrenders to satan, but a gift to those who would care for their bodies. They were allowing caregivers to wash and care for the very outsides of The Temple of God.
And God would speak from His Bodies, even when the outsides appeared to be crumbling.
I remember weak voices that were already crescendoing into Words from Him Who still spoke from the center of The Temple
I remember victory songs that came from parched lips .. and eyes closed gently in preparation for the remodeling of the body.
I remembered again why we pay close attention to how Jesus suffered. It all led to Glory.
Today as weakness nearly overcame me, and I begged God again to strengthen me, He reminded me it is His Body. He decides how to use it. He decides where we will stop along the way on the journey for the joy set before us.
In the meantime He is teaching me in new ways. I am trying to learn the lesson. But it is hard. Please pray for me that I surrender gracefully to My Creator in all things.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of The Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
1 Corinthians 6:19
This is My Body given for you.
Luke 22:19
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