Conserving the Temple - Martin Wiles

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT

“I would walk a mile for a Camel.”

I remember the 1960’s commercial. I wouldn’t have walked a mile for a Camel cigarette then, nor would I now. Or any other cigarette. But there are some things I’ve walked a good distance for—whether by foot or some other way.

Such as the time when my wife texted and said, “I’ve got something for you. Can you meet me at the car?” I’d had a grueling day at work and wasn’t feeling well. And to boot, my lunch consisted of a small can of Beenie Weenies. Now, I love those beans, but one small can just wasn’t enough. Nor was the small bag of plain potato chips I had started munching on.

The distance from the lunch table to her car wasn’t far. What she handed me perked up my spirit. A chocolate-covered cream-filled honey bun. Five hundred and eighty calories. A taste of heaven in every bite—along with a lot of sugar and fat that would not help my body. Nevertheless, I devoured every morsel and felt better afterward.

When I read Paul’s words, I’m reminded my body hosts the Spirit of God. That being said, I try to pay attention to how I treat God’s temple. I’ve not always treated his temple as I should have. I’ve put addictive substances into it, I’ve put other harmful foods into it, I’ve not always exercised it, and I’ve deprived it of sleep. But since I’ve entered my sixth decade of life, I find myself wanting to take better care of the temple.

When it comes to eating the wrong stuff, I don’t go to extremes. “Everything in moderation” is a good place to start. I designate one day each week where I allow myself to eat whatever I want—and as much of it—and not worry about what it’s doing to my body. This helps satisfy any cravings I have during the week. Food cravings, if not satisfied, normally lead to unhealthy eating habits.

Exercise is another way I care for God’s temple, but even this I do in moderation. Only five days a week. On the weekends, I take a break.

I also put spiritual disciplines into my temple: Bible study, prayer, meditation, communion with like-minded believers, and reading spiritual books.

But in the end, I know all these things will not cause my temple to stand any longer than God intends. He has planned an end for my body, no matter how much I try to extend its age. I enjoy life but know this sin-wracked body will deteriorate.

God gives us time to do His work, and when we care for our temples, it gives us more time to accomplish his plan for our lives.

Plan to conserve your temple so you will have the strength to fulfill God’s plan for you.

Prayer: Father, help us remember that our bodies are temples of your Spirit and need to be properly cared for. 

Tweetable: How are you conserving your temple? 

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