How many sermons have you ever heard of the importance of fitness? I grew up in the church attending Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night but never heard a sermon on fitness.

Oh, we had plenty of potlucks, ice cream socials and pie but never a word about the problem of packing on the pounds.

It’s really unfortunate that so many pastors downplay or ignore the importance of our bodies. When God sent his Son into the world, he put him into a body. Jesus could have been an spirit figure, but God clothed him in human flesh thus forever dignifying the human body by having put his own Son in one.

When God spelled out the rules for how the human race should conduct itself, most of the rules applied specifically to how our bodies should be treated. God went to a great deal of effort describing how they should be respected and protected.

The undeniable fact is that your body matters to God. 1 Corinthians 6:13b says; “our bodies were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.” Your body was made by him and for him. In fact the physical body is a big deal – the crowing point of his creation!

God designed you with a heart that can beat 1½ billion times without pausing to rest and lungs that pump 12,500 quarts of air in and out of you everyday – again, without pausing to rest.

According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 God redeemed your “body” not just your soul. Your redemption wasn’t just spiritual – God redeemed all of you! That’s why Paul prayed this in 1 Thessalonians 5:23; “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

Romans 8:10-11 states that your body is so significant that the Holy Spirit calls it home. Your physical body is important enough to God that he plans on resurrecting it. He could certainly make you a new one, but he chooses not to.

No wonder 1 Corinthians 6:20 says that we should glorify God with our bodies. And How do you do that? Well in all the ways that you’ve heard people preach about for years. Endeavor to live a godly life, avoid sin, honor God with your time, talent, & treasure. But I think there is more. Fuel it well and exercise it regularly. Doing so is a matter of personal stewardship that ought to rank right along side of going to church or reading the Bible. You’ll feel better, live longer and be more eternally productive! So strap on those tennis shoes and go for a brisk walk.

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