We may wonder what’s the point of taking care of our bodies that may die anyway and be resurrected. How much do our physical bodies matter? But God cares about our bodies because He created them. Our physical bodies are one among the best blessings we now have received from God. This doesn’t mean that we must always live for health or make health a god of its own but that we’d like good health to live out the aim God has for us. Everything about us, each spiritual and physical, matters and serves to glorify God.
Our bodies are so essential that the Lord calls them temples of God, where the Holy Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20). Looking after our health means having responsible stewardship of the body that God has entrusted to us. The Holy Spirit can reside in us and work with us if our bodies and minds are healthy. If we defile our bodies, the Temple of God, we hurt ourselves each physically and spiritually. God cares about His temple and it’s our responsibility to care about it too.
On a practical level, taking care of our health enables us to raised serve and honour God with our bodies. When we disregard our health, we impede our ability to perform God’s purposes for our lives. The things we decide to eat and drink say loads about how we honour God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Eating healthful food, exercising, and searching after our mental health honours God. Apostle Paul even said to supply our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God as that is our true and proper worship (Romans 12:1-2).
We are also higher equipped to indicate like to and serve others after we take care of our health. Illness that would have been prevented had we taken higher care of ourselves, or making unhealthy decisions after we could have made healthy decisions, could cause problems that then hinder our ability to take care of those around us. Also as Christians, we’re called to set an example for others to follow (1 Timothy 4:12). By taking care of our health, we encourage and encourage others to do the identical.
God has a plan and purpose for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). We may be more fully engaged in and luxuriate in the life God intends for us after we take care of our health. When we’re healthy, we now have the physical energy to do the things God is asking us to do, the spiritual work He wants us to undertake. Not all of us have perfect physical health and it doesn’t suggest that we cannot live out our calling for this reason. God has given us the grace to recognise where we’re and do what we will with what we do have.
But doing what we will to take care of our health aligns with biblical teachings of stewardship, love, honouring, and glorifying God with our bodies. Therefore it is just right that we manage our bodies with care, sustaining good health, and honouring God with our physical and mental wellbeing. This is the one body we now have, a present from God that ought to be treated with holiness and maintained in a way that is pleasant to Him. The everlasting significance of our souls doesn’t diminish the respect our bodies deserve. We should respect our bodies and provides due to God for His beautiful gift.
