Work It Out!

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Today's Passage: I Timothy 4:7-8
Memory Verses: I Tim. 4:7-8

The ladies on my job started a weight loss challenge at the beginning of the year. Since that time, I've watched one lady in particular take on this challenge, consistently losing about 5 to 6 pounds a week until literally becoming half the person she used to be not so long ago. When I asked her what was the secret to her success, she told me something I already knew, but just needed to hear again. Basically, she said that she committed herself to working towards her goal of becoming healthy everyday, keeping in mind that where she wanted to be health-wise was the most important thing in her life at that moment.

As I silently admired my workmate for her accomplishment, the Holy Spirit reminded me of this passage and what it implies for my spiritual life. Bodily exercise is extremely important if we as believers want to be "fit" for the Master's use. However, the Word tells us that it "profits only a little". So our focus should be to "exercise ourselves unto godliness", or to discipline ourselves using the principles of godliness that have been outlined for us.

Godliness, unlike any other exercise, is preparation for the battle that we have to face daily as soldiers in God's army. Because none of our weapons are carnal (although the enemy will use poor health against us), we must learn to make denying ourselves part of our daily lives. "Godliness is profitable unto ALL things, having promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come" (I Tim. 4:8). This means that when we take the time to pray, worship God, practice love for others, and keep ourselves from the filth in this world, not only are we pleasing the Father, but we are also opening ourselves up to what life will be like when we go to Heaven.

If you've ever stopped to think about what we'll do when we pass from this life into the next, you'll notice that only those things will go with us. God doesn't want the things we do when we get there to be foreign to us. He wants us to be in love with Him here, because those emotions will only be magnified there. He wants us to pray and seek Him, love others no matter who they are, and get rid of our sin nature. It's spiritual exercise indeed, for our flesh fights this in much the same way as it fights physical activity. So let's all be encouraged to "work it out" in the spirit, and press toward the mark, which is godliness. Like my co-worker's goal, it's more important than anything else we could ever aspire towards.

Prayer: Father, my life's goal is to know You, seek You, and be more like You. I want intimacy with You to be as natural as breathing not only while I'm on this earth, but when You come to take me home to be with You. Teach me to love You now and always. In Jesus' Name, Amen.