So often we get caught in the mindset that exercise is just a way to look good or lose a few pounds or even help lower cholesterol, blood pressure etc. Although proper exercise, nutrition and rest can do all these things, I believe that exercise serves a far greater purpose than that.
Upon realizing that God is the God of all of my being (not just spiritual things but all of me including my physical health) I began to view exercise in a whole new light. Is it possible that as I perform my squats and lunges and push ups that not only is He concerned about these things, but that He is actually delighted? In fact, I believe we are bringing God much pleasure and glory as we lift, run and sweat in the gym. I'll even go as far to say that in scope of living a proper physical life, Exercise is an active sens of worshipping our Lord through being a good steward of the body He so intricately designed.
As you think about this new idea, how does it change your view of exercise? How does it change your motivation to exercise? What about eating properly and getting the right amount of rest? Can these things also be acts of worships? I look forward to your thoughts.
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Fill'er up!
My first job ever was as a gas station attendant at local full service station. Each day in the summer of 1994, I would fill up cars and trucks with unleaded or premum gas. We also offered diesel.
On the very first week of my job, the boss' son rolled in driving his father's new pick up truck. He asked me to fill it up with 87 (or so I thought) I filled the truck up as full as possible in order to impress the boss. When I was finished, the son asked me what I put in the tank. I said, 87 like you asked. "87? I said diesel!", he replied.
To make a long story short, we then pushed this new pick up into the garage bay and had to drain the tank and then put the proper fuel back in. On a quick sidenote, as I was steering the truck onto the lift to drain the tank, I didn't judge something correctly and drove the truck off the lift. What a day! Why didn't they fire me?
However, as dreadful as that day was, I learned an important lesson. Nothing runs properly on the wrong kind of fuel. Cars don't, motorcycles don't, even weedeaters don't. You know what else needs the right kind of fuel? You guessed it, our bodies.
We need to eat the proteins, fats, fruits and veges that are going to give us the energy we need to live our lives productively. Unfortunately, we continue to dump 87(simple processed sugar junk) into a diesel tank. However, unlike my pickup truck experience we can't just pull in to the bay and drain the tank. We actually have to function on the junk until it gets out of our system.
One of the principles of living a FitChurch lifestyle is realizing the importance of fueling the body. Believe it or not, how we eat is actually an act of worship. Each time we are about to eat or drink, we should ask ourselves two simple questions. 1. Is this food glorifying to God? 2. Is this food helping or hurting me live a life worthy of his calling? If we can answer yes to those questions, there is a good chance we are on our way to fueling our bodies properly.
On the very first week of my job, the boss' son rolled in driving his father's new pick up truck. He asked me to fill it up with 87 (or so I thought) I filled the truck up as full as possible in order to impress the boss. When I was finished, the son asked me what I put in the tank. I said, 87 like you asked. "87? I said diesel!", he replied.
To make a long story short, we then pushed this new pick up into the garage bay and had to drain the tank and then put the proper fuel back in. On a quick sidenote, as I was steering the truck onto the lift to drain the tank, I didn't judge something correctly and drove the truck off the lift. What a day! Why didn't they fire me?
However, as dreadful as that day was, I learned an important lesson. Nothing runs properly on the wrong kind of fuel. Cars don't, motorcycles don't, even weedeaters don't. You know what else needs the right kind of fuel? You guessed it, our bodies.
We need to eat the proteins, fats, fruits and veges that are going to give us the energy we need to live our lives productively. Unfortunately, we continue to dump 87(simple processed sugar junk) into a diesel tank. However, unlike my pickup truck experience we can't just pull in to the bay and drain the tank. We actually have to function on the junk until it gets out of our system.
One of the principles of living a FitChurch lifestyle is realizing the importance of fueling the body. Believe it or not, how we eat is actually an act of worship. Each time we are about to eat or drink, we should ask ourselves two simple questions. 1. Is this food glorifying to God? 2. Is this food helping or hurting me live a life worthy of his calling? If we can answer yes to those questions, there is a good chance we are on our way to fueling our bodies properly.
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