Your Body, But God’s Temple

A few years ago, my husband and I were riding to an appointment when we passed by an old country church in disrepair.

When I looked at the dingy, white paint and the wooden boards barely hanging on, I felt sorry for the members.

I reasoned that they must lack the resources needed to fix up the building.

Fast forward to the following Sunday at my own church.

I was having a great time in praise and worship. I had my hands lifted and was singing to the Lord when He suddenly flashed a picture of that old, broken-down church in my mind.

Then He asked me a convicting question:

“Do you think that I receive the worship of the people in that old church any less than I would the members of the fanciest church in town – if they worshipped Me from the heart?”

Pause and think about that.

To my shame, I realized that I had no need to feel sorry for the members of the country church – if they were fulfilling the purpose of that church, which is to worship the Lord from the heart and glorify Him in body and Spirit.

If they were doing that, then in God’s eyes the dingy paint and the hanging boards did not matter.

Most of us have heard the saying “Your body is a temple,” which comes from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

But have you done a heart check lately to ensure that you are focusing more on the purpose of your body rather than on its outward appearance?

Are you worshiping the Lord from the heart daily and glorifying Him in body and Spirit?

Or are you focusing more on re-painting and shaping up the outside?

While there is nothing wrong with ensuring that your body looks good and is in good repair (I’ll talk more about the repair part later), you want to be sure that you have your priorities in the right order.

Through this experience, God taught me one more important lesson using the old church as an example.

I mentioned that the church appears to be in poor condition, so the members must ensure that the building is in good repair so that the worship inside is not hindered.

Let’s say that the old church was not paying its electric bill. Now the electric company does not care that the people inside worship the Lord in Spirit and truth. They just want to be paid for services rendered.

So in spite of the members’ salvation, the electric company still turns off the power.

Now suppose this happened in the middle of a heat wave with temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Do you think the excessive heat in the building would impact the people’s ability to worship?

Absolutely!

As Jesus said to the disciples when they falling asleep, even though He asked them to pray with him (see Matthew 26:40-41),

…The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Even though the people in the old church might have wanted to worship the Lord with all their heart, part of their minds would have been pre-occupied with how hot it was, creating a distraction from their purpose!

So that is why it is important that you take care of your body,  ensuring that it doesn’t fall into poor condition due to neglect.

Think of eating healthy as paying your bills and exercise as necessary maintenance.

Unfortunately, too many of us try to dodge our bills in this area. We try to pay our bills with counterfeit money (like a regular diet of junk or fast food).

Then, we act surprised when the bill collectors of low energy, inability to focus, or disease come calling.

Check yourself right now and ask:

Am I performing the necessary maintenance on my body to ensure the worship inside is unhindered?

Are my bills being paid?

If you are not, then ask the Lord to show you what tasks are being neglected and how you can start practicing faithful stewardship of His temple.

From a natural standpoint, it would be nice to see the old church repaired and re-painted on the outside and have sincere worship on the inside. But if they have to prioritize things, here are the right priorities from my view:

1. Worshiping the Lord from the Heart and glorifying Him.

2. Ensuring the church stays in good repair and bills are paid so that isn’t hindered.

3. Fixing up the outside.

With right priorities, you too can ensure that your body’s purpose is fulfilled and that you can worship the Lord with a clear mind and a joyful heart.

Kimberly Taylor

Author of the Take Back Your Temple program

P.S. Are you struggling with the challenges of emotional eating? Many people with eating issues know what to do but have a hard time doing it. That is where you need a community that supports each other!

In the Take Back Your Temple program, you will get all the support you need to overcome the Spiritual and emotional battles of weight loss, connected in our Overcomers community.

Click here to confirm the Take Back Your Temple program is right for you.

About the author 

Kimberly Taylor

Kimberly Taylor is a certified Christian life coach and has a heart to help others struggling with emotional eating and weight loss. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power to overcome. She lost 85 pounds as a result of implementing techniques to overcome emotional eating and binge eating disorder.

Kim is the author of "The Take Back Your Temple Program," which teaches Christians how to take control of their weight God's way and the books "The Weight Loss Scriptures" and "The Weight Loss Prayers."

Kim has been featured in Prevention Magazine, Charisma Magazine and on CBN’s 'The 700 Club' television program.

  • Hi Jeana,
    In agreement also what’s been said but mainly we do judge from the outside appearance.
    Working in health care you see many people who fall into a cycle of low income and can’t afford to buy the best for the health. Perhaps they started with gaining weight because of inability to exercise properly 3-5 days every week. Think also of the medications that cause people to gain any where from 10-20 lbs every month. Unforunatly we all just judge without knowing or even caring to find out what’s going on in there lives.

    Kim and her husband took things a step further and discover the cause and that is really important. If we as believers did that with those we’re in contact with would find out and help those close to then we can better help.

    I know I’ve said more than a mouthfull but seeing it every day I couldn’t help myself but all in Christan Love.

  • I agree with your thoughts and steps for this old church. Our worship and relationship is first and foremost. I also believe that people do judge by outer appearances. They judge people,churches and most everything.

    Have you considered approaching the church and talking to them about your church and others getting together and doing the repairs for them? It would be quite a blessing for them and the community. There are needs of the people inside too.

    Just thinking passing by may not have been a coincidence!!,

    • Hi Jeana – That is a great idea! However, after my husband and I went back to take the photo in this article, we discovered that it is a historic church in that community so worship is no longer actively held in that building.

      • Well if it falls under historical placement then they should be fixing it up there should be an organization to do that,,,,, God bless you for helping others with your program

        • Thank you, Marie – the building was eventually preserved for historical reasons, fixed up and now the building is being used as a wedding chapel in that county!

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