“…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 (KJV)
Have you ever been given a gift that wasn’t necessarily expensive, but the way it made you feel made it priceless? Do you remember the care with which you regarded it? How you often lovingly gazed at it time after time as you vowed to care for it forever?
Well, beloved, we have been given such a gift in the person of who we are. Genesis 2:7 (NKJV) reads, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
You and I have been given stewardship over our bodies. We are chosen by God to manage or supervise the affairs of our bodies until the Father calls us to give an account. We, like our God, are triune beings – body, soul, and spirit – so in order to properly steward our beings, His temple, we have to care for every part of them.
Our physical bodies need to be taken care of by eating and drinking substances that nourish them and promote good health. Unhealthy habits, substance abuse, and lack of exercise can all make us unsuited for the battles we have to constantly fight against the enemy. Self-discipline and fasting can help us maintain our physical health.
Our mental health needs to be stable as well. Overactive imaginations, dwelling on or recalling past hurts, disappointments, and frustrations can cause depression, violent thoughts, and bitterness. This will allow the enemy to make our minds his playground. If we think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, as Philippians 4:8 suggests, we will steward our minds well.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need to steward our spiritual beings well. Jesus, speaking to the woman at the well, reminds us all in John 4:24 (KJV), “God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” It is expedient, therefore, to feed our spirits with His Word, to communicate with Him with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and to build a true and lasting relationship with Him. Speaking with Him in the heavenly language will also ensure that the enemy cannot eavesdrop on our conversations.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, words cannot express how grateful we are that You chose to entrust us with Your good treasure. We promise to steward it with excellence, in Jesus’s name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 1:6; 2 Corinthians 4:7Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 119:89-96; 2 Timothy 3; Jeremiah 50:11-46; Jeremiah 51:1-14
