Spiritual Shape Likened to Physical Shape
- Are you (like me) not in physical shape?
- Are we watching our bodies spiral, almost as if we are standing on the sidelines, seeing it happen, as if surely this loss of physicality is not happening to us but to another soul.
My eyes have been focused on an upcoming surgery date because, truthfully, I trusted that once the surgery occurred and once my back was repaired—then I would be able to freely move again, void of the pain felt now. Then, I would be able to regain my physical shape that seems to be slipping away from my grasp.
- Yesterday, the surgery date moved, right before my eyes.
- Today, the Great Physician has reminded me of His Truth.
Just this week, a student asked me: “Ms. New, are you afraid to have the surgery?” I looked at her across our shared lunch table and spoke the truth: “I am not afraid of the surgery, but I do fear that my ability to walk, to hike, to run will not be returned.”
In the Bible, we can turn to numerous passages to find assurance, to discover why we should not give up but pursue. One such passage is found in The Psalms and another in The Letter to the Hebrews. Please pause to read both Scriptures with me & find assurance within both—the Assurance to continue the fight & the Assurance to not give in to defeat—no matter what!
“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
(The Psalms 139: 7-10 NASB)
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.”
- Do we ever want the ‘feel good’ but not the sermon?
- Are we ever convicted by the Holy Spirit of God, and then pushed away, thinking, “Not now Lord”?
- Do we want The Psalms but not The Revelation to John?
- Do we ever want the baby Jesus of Christmastime but not the Jesus on the cross?
When problems and struggles and trials come (& THEY WILL—COME) our Great Physician is Always on-call, present with us, with those who know Him as Savior.
Thus, we need to stay in Spiritual Shape. How? We might ask.
- Stay faithfully, daily in God’s Word.
- Stay consistent in our attendance with other believers, going often to the Lord’s house.
- Stay in communication with God, talking daily with Him.
- Stay focused—Keeping our eyes upon Jesus.
“All Because of Mercy” by Casting Crowns shares through melody what I am attempting to write, so please pause to listen.
In this world, others may give up on us or not give us a chance.
But God sent His Only Son Jesus & it is Jesus who gives each one of us the only decision of a lifetime—the only decision that truly matters!
- May we strive to be in physical shape, for we have a race to run in this thing we call ‘Life.”
&
- May we strive to remain in spiritual shape, keeping our spiritual eyes upon our Savior Jesus.
&
- May we strive to remain in spiritual shape, for there are so many who have not yet heard about our Savior Jesus.
At the end of the “faith chapter” where people were called by name who displayed great faith & where faceless individuals were counted and listed in the “Hall of Faith,” then we come to this Scripture passage from the writer of The Letter to the Hebrews.
“And all these, having gained approval through their faith,
did not receive what was promised,
because God had provided something better for us,
so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin
which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
- fixing our eyes on Jesus,
- the author and perfecter of faith,
- who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
- despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
(The Letter to the Hebrews 11: 39-40 & 12: 1-3 NASB)