Let's Get Physical

7UP:

Let’s Get Physical

Romans 12:1

September 28, 2008

This week we are taking a look at the physical area of the seven areas that we are to give up to God (7UP to God). If we are to follow Jesus holistically, that is completely set apart for his use, in a community of holistic people, then we need to surrender to God the physical area of our lives. Basically, what this means is our bodies.

Little Johnny went up to Pastor Hal after the service. “You said that God made our bodies from dust and eventually after we die, they will go back to dust.”

“Yes, I did,” answered Pastor Hal, “I’m glad you were listening.”

“Well, I think you need to come over to our house as soon as you can.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, I need to look under my bed ‘cuz someone is either coming or going.”

As the Tuesday group discussed, we all believe that God thinks our bodies are extremely important to God as well as to us. God is very much concerned about what happens to our bodies. In fact, because we need to remember these 7 areas are really holistic, this means that each of these areas affect the other areas of our lives. Our physical bodies are no different. When you sick or tired physically then this has an effect on your emotions as well as your relationships (social area). These in turn can have an impact on your spiritual connection and your spiritual growth. Life just gets heavy, doesn’t it? The reason we call our concerns burdens.

In turn when things are grand, when you’re “in love,” when circumstances are great, then we feel awesome. There’s exhilaration. There’s joy. You’re glad to people because you just want to share.

And of course these other areas of your life can affect you physically. When your stressed or worried or drained, sometimes we get sick or maybe some of the physical maladies that we suffer from actually get worse.

Not only that but how we treat our bodies and care for our bodies (like our emotional health) can put a limit on our spiritual development. Perhaps this is why God’s Word talks so much about healing and wholeness for our minds, spirits, and bodies. God says to worship him with all of our being including our bodies, which is why we have different forms of worship to engage our entire being and help us love the Lord with all of us, completely/wholly/holistically.

Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual (or reasonable) act of worship.”

Give God your worship. Worship God with everything you have. Worship God with your entire body. Offer this physical area of your life to God for God’s use. We can’t be holistic if we hold back any area including our bodies. Worship God with your entire being. Not just on Sunday but let every moment, let every action, let every breathe, be given over to God for God to use.

And this is difficult and it is a problem at times. You know why? God said that we are living sacrifices, right? He doesn’t want us to be dead and lifeless or mindless puppets. We are to be living sacrifices. But the problem with living sacrifices is that they keep wanting to crawl off the altar.

A brother and sister decided that they wanted to get a hamster. “How about one of those electronic pets?” asked the mother not entirely convinced that they were ready.

“NO!! We want a real hamster. We want one that is living.”

And they bargained and they promised to take care of it. They promised to feed it and make sure it had water and clean its cage. So mom caved and they got a hamster naming it Danny. But just as mom feared, after about a week, the kids forgot about Danny the hamster and it was mom that was taking care of it. After several weeks of warning them that the hamster was their responsibility followed by empty promises, mom had had enough. She called the kids together and said that Danny would have to go.

Surprisingly the kids were not too broken up about it. “Maybe if he wouldn’t eat as much then we could keep him.” “Maybe if he wasn’t so messy…” But mom was firmed and said, “No, it is time to take Danny to his new home.”

Suddenly, the kids were horror struck and they began to wail and cry, “Danny! We thought you said, ‘Daddy.’”

Ok, so our bodies are important to God and it is important to give God control of the physical area of our lives. What does this mean? I think it means that God wants us to take care of our bodies. God wants us to care for our bodies so that we can be totally set apart for his use.