“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 NKJV
Our human bodies are amazing creations. Each one is unique, and so well planned by the Creator. When we take care of them, they work very well. From the time we are babies, we begin to be in touch with our own bodies, recognizing the need for nourishment, learning the most effective way to find it. Communicating our needs is instinctive. Later, we must recognize the difference in what our bodies need, and what we want. What makes us feel happy and fulfilled might actually be harmful to our bodies. These harmful things must be avoided, as they prevent us from being that holy and acceptable sacrifice to God.
Often, though, something that is beyond our control invades our body, and we must fight to maintain our health. My daughter has recently had to face a cancer diagnosis. This was certainly not her choice, and was not caused by any over-indulging or damaging thing she did. But, because she is in her mid-thirties, with three sons still depending on her, she is doing whatever it takes to rid her body of this invader. Her reasonable service to God is not finished yet, and she is daily enduring the treatments that have been proven to be effective in conquering the demon.
My husband is also in a daily struggle to maintain his health. Rather than one diagnosis, his difficulties seem to be piling on, with several different conditions working against each other to complicate his life. He can now appreciate so much more the trials his parents went through at his age. What is acceptable to God in his case? Just taking each step, listening to the wisdom of doctors, remaining hopeful each day. Just continuing the fight may be his reasonable service for now.
It is interesting that this chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans quickly shifts from being focused on our physical bodies to talking about our spiritual gifts, and then moves to talk about the body of Christ, the church. We are encouraged not to conform to the world, which often emphasizes only the physical things. We are to see ourselves as equals, sharing the burdens and the joys of those around us. As Paul reminds us “as we have many members in one body, but all members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:4 NKJV
The lesson in this word from Paul? We are all in this together. While we should take good care of our individual bodies, there is strength to be gained from the other members of His body. Praying for each other, caring for each other, rejoicing and grieving with one another, That is our reasonable service. That is holy and acceptable to God.
photo credit: GeometerArtist <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/62026183@N03/7703410046″>Vitruvian Man / Flower of Life Construction</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/”>(license)</a>
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