“Getting in Shape”

My husband Tommy and I just started a really strict diet.  I must admit, this is taking some serious work.  “Getting in shape” – as folks call it – isn’t easy.  For too long, we have let our appetites reign.   Last year I earnestly  began to strive to live healthier and prayed for the Lord to help me do it.   I also prayed for Him to help my husband too.

Tommy – on the other hand- was not on the same page then. But, a very recent blood-work showed that he was on the way to some grave (pun intended) health problems if he didn’t change his ways.  It’s amazing how a threat to our general health and well-being can become a powerful catalyst for change.

Guess what?  Now Tommy is praying for God to help him get healthier!  In fact – he’s lost about 13 pounds.    Am I thankful?  Yes!  But that’s not the whole picture here.  The heart of the matter is not so much that we need to lose weight and get in shape--but “how did we get like this?”

How did we get so “out of shape.”  

It’s not just physical, you know.  It is deeper.

·         We got “out of shape” because we’ve believed the wrong things.  We have had warped internal philosophies.  “I can do what I want – and it doesn’t matter! It won’t hurt me”  “ I want what I want – now!” 

·         We built barriers against the truth that eating whatever and whenever we want does have a high price.

·         We allowed our thoughts and emotions to run loose – with little to no self-control.

That’s hard to admit.  That’s tough to confess.   But it is true.  And  as we all know - “the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

All this hit me so hard this morning as I read from 2 Corinthians 10:4-6.  I love the way it’s worded  in “The Message” …

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” 

Wow!  “Life shaped by Christ”--  that phrase struck a chord in my heart and caused me to ponder “my shape.”    Was I allowing Jesus to shape me?  Just how self-centered have I been living?  How out-of-shape am I really?

I think I need God’s “power tools” in my life to help smash those warped philosophies and tear down those barriers built by lies.   I need to get “shaped by Christ.”

How about you?   Who is shaping you today?

Thanks for pondering with me…

Mary

 “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? You do not belong to yourself..”  1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.”  From 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 “The Message”