1 Corinthians 3:10-23 Body as Temple
There are scads of images going through my head, not the least of which is the three little pigs. As I try to settle my thoughts, all I can hear is 'what's your house made of'? Really I'm talking foundation. When you think about it, the foundation is kind of crucial. I can still see pictures of all the homes built on pylons that got washed away by Sandy.
Our foundations are even more critical when you contemplate that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and God's love. That's not to mention that we are created so carefully by God and with such intent that we really should have incredible respect for ourselves in what we are and what we have to offer others.
To this end I will not be noting the obvious (to me), that is, the quality and type of food we eat as well as the way we treat our bodies or mistreat our bodies through lack of exercise etc.
What I am talking about is a foundation of good spirituality, self respect, good self image, acceptance of self and not demeaning oneself in any way. I once read a book at my Dad's suggestion called The Power of Your Subconscious Mind. It really was not a religious book but part of it applies here. Our subconscious mind listens naively to what it hears from ourselves and others. When we say to ourselves "what an idiot I am" or some similar phrase, we listen to ourselves. Don't say those things. We need to uplift ourselves and uplift others. We must return to the realization of our purpose built we are and how much God loves us. There is a whole host of reasons God loves us. We need to acknowledge them. That makes for a good foundation. That will help build and maintain the temple of our bodies that God graces us with.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.
Our foundations are even more critical when you contemplate that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and God's love. That's not to mention that we are created so carefully by God and with such intent that we really should have incredible respect for ourselves in what we are and what we have to offer others.
To this end I will not be noting the obvious (to me), that is, the quality and type of food we eat as well as the way we treat our bodies or mistreat our bodies through lack of exercise etc.
What I am talking about is a foundation of good spirituality, self respect, good self image, acceptance of self and not demeaning oneself in any way. I once read a book at my Dad's suggestion called The Power of Your Subconscious Mind. It really was not a religious book but part of it applies here. Our subconscious mind listens naively to what it hears from ourselves and others. When we say to ourselves "what an idiot I am" or some similar phrase, we listen to ourselves. Don't say those things. We need to uplift ourselves and uplift others. We must return to the realization of our purpose built we are and how much God loves us. There is a whole host of reasons God loves us. We need to acknowledge them. That makes for a good foundation. That will help build and maintain the temple of our bodies that God graces us with.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
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