How to Honor God with Your Body
By Rick Warren
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
Sanctification is one of those words that you might have heard in church or read in a book without understanding exactly what it means. Though it sounds like it might be complicated, sanctification is actually simple: It means to dedicate something for God’s purpose.
You can sanctify anything—your car, your home, or even your job—by saying, “God, I dedicate this to you. Use it for your purpose.” But there’s something God specifically asks us to dedicate to Him—our bodies. The Bible says, “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT).
So how do you honor God with your body? It’s pretty simple: You take care of your body. When you take care of your body, you’re typically healthier, you have more energy, and God can use you more effectively.
This isn’t just about fitness—it’s about balance. God designed you with a need for proper rest, good nutrition, and regular exercise. He cares about your health. Psalm 119:73 says, “You made my body, Lord; now give me the sense to heed your laws” (TLB).
Maybe you need more sleep. Staying up late to watch TV isn’t worth losing energy the next day. Psalm 127:2 says, “It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, for God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest” (TLB). Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply get some sleep.
Or maybe it’s your diet. The Message paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 6:13 says, “It may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!” When you put good fuel into your body, you honor God by doing your part to have the health you need to serve him well.
And let’s not forget exercise. We all need it. Strengthening your body through exercise helps equip you physically to live out God’s purposes for you.
Taking care of your body is about respect and stewardship. God created it, Jesus paid for it, and the Holy Spirit lives in it. So treat it well!
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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