:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

During a time of transition it’s easy to settle into some bad habits, such as forgetting to exercise and eating unhealthy and fast food. These oversights impact how we feel physically and our spiritual condition as well.

Paul speaks of our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is kind of a strange image. God is dwelling within us?

I don’t get it, but I have learned that the things I do to my body have an impact on my worship. If I care for my body, I create a healthy atmosphere in which worship can take place. Care for one’s body is not necessarily worship per se, but it is an integral part of the process.

Food for the Body…

My step-mother is a vegetarian, and so she always served huge salads for every dinner. My dad said that his body began to react to different foods differently after eating so many greens on a regular basis. After I married Julie, we generally ate vegetarian just to keep expenses low, but I soon discovered that steaks, cheese steaks, and even hamburgers made me feel ill.

I had trained my body to like certain food. To this day a cheese steak and a soda, two things I used to love while living in Philly, make me feel ill. I’d rather eat a Greek or Caesar salad—which feels kind of weird to type.

So now we eat lots of vegetables, fruit, cheese, and bread, and hardly ever eat meat more than once or twice a week. My body feels better now than it did back in high school and college, and somehow, though I don’t completely understand how, I am more physically available to God. I know that some folks may think I’m out to lunch just saying that, but so long as my lunch out involves sliced apples, cranberries, and a good vinaigrette for my salad, I won’t complain.

Exercise for the Body..

Whether gardening, walking, or hiking, our bodies need time outside. For most of humanity’s history, we have been dependent on farming or gardening to one degree or another, and there is something redemptive about digging our hands into the soil, sowing a seed, and watching it grow.

In addition, when we get out for a walk or set to work in a garden, we physically disconnect ourselves from the demands of our homes and workplaces. This places us in a position where God can break through. By doing these things we are not necessarily worshipping, but we are creating space to worship.

A Theology of the Body

As Christians, we need to talk a bit more about the spiritual ramifications of food and exercise. Even if we don’t understand all of the mechanics involved, the treatment of our bodies will impact how we worship God. Perhaps food will drag us into a heavy spirit, or a lack of exercise will fog our ability to concentrate or to break out of certain thought patterns.

I can’t explain this in a definitive or systematic manner, but I can testify that changes to my diet and to my exercise habits directly impact my relationship with God and my worship in particular. When I feel overwhelmed or weighed down, there sometimes are physical reasons that extend beyond what I know.

In a world where right belief is prescribed as a cure-all for our spiritual ills, we need to broaden our range of diagnosis. During a time of transition and change, keep the health of your body in mind as you set aside time to worship God. Sometimes we need to pay as much attention to our physical environment as to our beliefs.