The importance of temple maintenance

“Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19

I have had the opportunity on numerous occasions to teach and to preach from this passage of scripture. Most often, my focus was centered on the idea of maintaining the correct moral compass as it relates to the things we put in our bodies, as well as how we use our bodies.

Not that I was in error in addressing those areas of temple maintenance, however, recent events have allowed me to extend my view as to how we can better service this temple of the Holy Spirit.

If we truly believe the Scriptures as it relates our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit, then surely we should have a desire to do a better job of maintaining our bodies.

I must confess that it has not always been a priority of mine. I have not always gotten the proper rest. I have not always eaten in a healthy manner. I have not always exercised. I have not always kept consistent doctor or dental appointments. I have not always dressed appropriately in accordance to the weather conditions.

The reality is that I have often paid more attention to the up keep of my car than of my body.

As I stated earlier, recent circumstances have allowed me to re-examine my priorities. Because of pain that was progressively getting worse, I went to the doctor. After a series of x-rays, MRIs and other tests, it was determined that I needed a total hip replacement.

With all praises to our awesome God, the surgery was successful and I am recovering well.

Most importantly, one of the consequences of the recovery is that I spent a number of weeks confined to the house and for some days totally dependent on my loving wife. While I am truly grateful that God has blessed me with my loving wife, being totally dependent is not a position to which I had been accustomed. I have learned to appreciate the kindness of others.

I have learned to take the time to eat nutritious meals. I have learned the importance of exercise as I continue physical therapy. I have enjoyed even more quiet time with the Lord. I have learned to be in tune with the Holy Spirit concerning my mind, body and soul.

I am extremely grateful to God for the opportunity to serve him with this body, and am committed to doing a better job of maintaining it to the glory of God.

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 7:03 AM with the headline "The importance of temple maintenance."