I am the temple

^16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? ^17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

 

The temple is the local church, but surely the local church as the local manifestation of one true temple of God, the Church Invisible, composed of all true believers in Christ (Wycliffe)

 

Often, too often, we get so caught up on the church being the “building”, but reality is the church is not the building physically, but the people.  If it wasn’t for the people, there would be no church.  However, this is not what I want to focus on today.

 

The practical application of these verses is that I am the temple.  Me.  We focus a lot on taking care of the physical temple (the church), but what about me as the temple, am I taking care of me.  Am I taking care of myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  I have struggled with my weight for ever.  For as long as I can remember I have always been soft in the middle, felt insecure about my waist.  I have been feeling really self-conscience lately.  I took up running/jogging nearly 5 years ago to try and help.  I enjoy the running but apparently it is just not enough.  My doctor has been on me for two years about dropping weight.  When she first got on me about it, I did. I dropped 15 pounds in a couple of months, and felt really good.  Now here I am gained it all back, and then some.

 

As I read these verses this morning, that last part where Paul blatantly writes “you are that temple” struck me pretty hard.  I am the temple and I want God to be in this temple, I want this temple to be around for awhile.

 

I don’t make “new years resolutions”, I don’t believe in them.  Let’s face it most people don’t stick to them.  I don’t need to make a resolution, I need to make a life change.  Here is the change I need to make, to eat better.  To put better stuff in my system so I can run harder, longer, and faster.  I want this temple to be tip top shape.  I don’t want to be skinny, I just want to be healthy.  Maybe this verse is what I needed to put me over the edge and help me to get serious.

 

I have gotten better at taking care of this temple emotionally and spiritually, but now I need to focus on physically.  I pray this journey begins today, and that this is not just a passing phase or new year idea, but a real life change.  Please God grant me the strength and ability to deal with my craving for food, specifically sweets.