The Bible and Exercise
The world of health and physical fitness are almost
foreign to the history of Christianity. It
seems that somewhere along the road of spiritual devotion our church fathers
lost a part of their humanity. The
human is a unique creature, not wholly spirit, or wholly beast, but a
combination of both. Made perfectly by the Almighty God, we originally possessed a
perfection of mind and body. Then
came the fall. A corruption of our
spiritual nature resulted, and because of the close ties, our physical nature
was also defiled. Death and
sickness, frailty and pain entered our lives. Because of human sin we no longer possessed a spirit capable of oneness
with God, nor did we possess a body capable of everlasting life. We were corrupted. As
Christians, however, we were redeemed. Christ,
through his shedding of his blood on the cross and resurrection from the dead,
saved us from our just punishments. In return we have been called to be holy, to be set apart for
him. We must constantly strive for
purity in our lives, though this runs contrary to our natural bent.
This
struggle to reform our lives is not limited to our being spiritually minded. I believe that God wishes for us to develop all that he originally
created, this including the body. There
is no shame, there is no evil that our body necessarily contains. We were made in His image, and there can be nothing evil within that
structure. I believe that God
desires us to develop our physical side for three reasons. First, we must always be prepared for the trials and tests that will
come. One cannot truly be able to
fully utilize ones faculties unless one is fit and in good health. Second, I believe that ignoring our physical side would be to
ignore possible gifts that the Lord has given us. To develop our physical gifts, and using them for God's
service, is an act of worship to Him. Finally,
the discipline that is gained through conscientious patterns of living teaches
us so much about the way that Christ means for us to lead our lives. We have been given charge of our own selves. How we think, how we act, what we do is dependent on our choices. Choosing God is the way to salvation, and seeking to glorify Him through
development of all of our capabilities is a truly noble goal indeed.
As he bent over the length of wood one could see the sinewy strength of
the muscles beneath the skin. The
sweat beaded and dripped from his forehead yet he continued undaunted,
delighting in the creation that was coming from his hands. His skin was bronzed from spending long hours finding the right trees
with which to make his designs and his countenance shone with the effort he was
exerting. As sawdust flew, landing
all about him, and covering him head to toe, he began to think of the earlier
creations he was a part of long ago. Trained
in carpentry since he was a boy, he was able to work long days, days full of
labor and toil. He made sure he ate
properly, understanding the nutritional needs of humanity better than most. He was in perfect health, able to endure the most strenuous hardships,
which was good because one day in the future he knew he would have to. As he worked with the wood, sawing and hammering, he remembered the day
he took over the carpentry business after his father died, actually not his real
father but the time for his revealing this had not yet come. He paused, wiped his forehead with a dusty towel that was nearby, and
noticed that he was hungry. At this
moment his mother called, "Jesus, it's time for dinner, come on in out of
that hot shop."
Though Jesus is often portrayed in film and art as an almost
fragile human being I believe it to be just the opposite. He was strong, he was sturdy, he was exceedingly fit. He was healthy enough to endure forty days of fasting, he was sturdy
enough to endure repeated floggings and beatings. For almost three years he traveled the land, teaching his message. He was a scholar of renown, a fact that is often shown. He was also strong in body, a fact which is seldom thought of. Not since Adam had a man existed who was perfect. Just as Adam possessed a body that was a archetypal model for humanity,
so, I believe, did Jesus. The bible
does not focus on this physical nature, tending to spend its words on the
spiritual side, but it was there. He
spent probably almost twenty years working in the carpentry business before his
time had come to reveal himself. He
developed strength, he developed endurance. We, as Christians, have been called to be Christ-like in all we do. This includes the developing of our body to the level of
Christ. We do not know the
hardships that we will endure, as Christ did, but we do know that they will
come. Paul, in his second letter to
Timothy, tells him that he should
"endure hardships with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ." We battle in a spiritual realm, but our bodies are vitally affected by
our souls. We should strive for
health and fitness, not just to develop our bodies for our own sakes, but so
that we may fight the good fight and finish the race. God desires our best in all ways, and the only way this is truly possible
is to develop our physical nature to its fullest, not separate, but in
conjunction with our development of our mental and spiritual capabilities.
The army was camped in the Valley of Elah,
when he came upon it to deliver food sent from home. He regrettably left his duties at home to do this task for his aged
father. He thought his brothers
were rather obnoxious at times, and he was slightly jealous at their being able
to fight in the wars while he was left at home to take care of the family sheep. Now, he realized the real responsibility that he bore, but he had a
passion for warfare. His long hours
in the fields had groomed him into one ready for anything. His senses were prime from countless hours of watching for dangers. His body was muscular and lean from the hardships which he had put upon
it. His dexterity was excellent
from countless battles with the lions and bears which sought to devour the
family fortune. He was no stranger to battle either, leading a servant of the King to call
him a "brave man and a warrior." His service to his father demanded the utmost of his fitness and health.
Not
long after he arrived he heard the booming voice of a single adversary from the
valley beneath them. Hearing the
words that were spoken ignited a fury deep within this young man. Though not a member of the army he lambasted his countrymen for their
cowardice in not facing the enemy's challenge. He, himself, accepted the challenge of the Philistine, much to the
surprise, and jealousy, of his fellows. Though not prepared for a sword fight he drew upon his
abilities and slew the foe with a solid strike of a stone, launched from his
sling. This was to be only the
first of many famous encounters that this man was to face. He drew upon the gifts that God had given him, namely his strength and
prowess in battle. He was training
his body for physical fitness from the time he was a mere boy. God used these gifts and talents for his own glory. And
through the might of his physical body, and the faith of his spiritual acuity,
he brought worship and glory to God, which spread throughout the kingdom and
beyond. He started with nothing but
his faith in God and his physical prowess, but ended as the King, and ancestor
of the Christ. Once derided as a
mere boy he soon became used to the cries of "Hail, King David" that
were to follow him everywhere.
To deny our physical nature is to possibly
deny a gift that God has given us. Our
gifts are given to us by God to work for the common good of the church and to be
used in a way that is honoring and praising to him. David was given a physical gift, he used it to the glory of God. God has given us a physical nature for a reason. Though our gifts may lie in directions not directly focused on our
fitness, all things that we do are influenced by it. How can we pray for long periods of time if our minds are not fed by
proper food, and our bodies are made weary from simple exertions? In order to fully accomplish the duties that the Lord has
given us we must train our bodies to do that which is demanded of them. We cannot ignore our fitness or health, for to do so would be to offer up
to God less than our fullest, and as Christians we must try not to do that. He calls us to be warriors of his army, to stand up for his causes. What kind of warrior focuses only upon the mental aspects of warfare? A true warrior develops both his mind, to know what to do, and his body,
to accomplish that which he knows must be done, in order to serve at his highest
level. So must we also commit every
aspect of our lives to our king's service, so that we may praise and glorify his
name to the greatest possible amount. To
do any less is to succumb to our fallen human nature. Just as David did, so to must we, strengthen our bodies,
inside and out, for the glory of God.
Weary after the long trip, the young man
slowly followed the rest of his compatriots into the mighty palace. The last few years had been the very worst in his life. He could distinctly remember the glory that his homeland once possessed. How so much destruction and deterioration could be caused so
quickly was beyond even his learned understanding. He should have been ready for it, however, for did not the
Prophet speak of the seventy years of desolation. It was almost too great a burden to bear. At least he was not alone in this trek to the foreign land. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azrariah, his friends since early childhood, had
accompanied him. They were a
handsome bunch. Chosen on account
of their physical perfection, their striking appearances, and more than capable
mental capabilities, these young men were picked from among the finest men of
their land to serve the conquering king. The
chief of the court officials greeted them, as well as the men from the other
tribes, and laid out what their duties and expectations would be for the next
three year. They were given the
opportunity to eat from the king's own table and drink the king's own wine.
As
hungry and thirsty as this man was he knew that to do this would be wrong. He knew that to eat these foods would be to defile his body in a way
which could not be done. He spoke to the chief about this dilemma. Though at first almost offended by this man's refusal the chief gave him,
and his three friends, the chance to prove themselves, to eat what was right, to
maintain their discipline. After
the ten day trial period this man, and his three friends, were found to far
surpass the others in health and nourishment. God blessed them tremendously for the discipline that they possessed. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king
questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
enchanters in his whole kingdom. This
would not be the first time Daniel's discipline would be challenged, yet for
standing strong he was truly blessed.
In the world of physical fitness and health
discipline is a key. One learns to
overcome obstacles that would otherwise hinder growth in these areas. What a great way to learn how to discipline ourselves for God's service! The act of devotion to God is similar in the daily struggles that will
assault us. We will initially have
a passion for God. After a time
this passion will fade as we start the grind of service. If we persevere, however, we will be restored to our passion and will be
forever changed by the transformations within us. Daniel was a disciplined man. He trained his body so that
it worked at its optimum level. He
did not give into the temptations of unhealthy foods, but instead sought only
what would be beneficial. He stood
strong, and so should we. Peter
tells us in his first letter to be "clear-minded and self-controlled so
that you can pray." If we
allow ourselves to become lazy and slothful in one area of life, especially an
area as vital as our health, how can we expect to stay strong in other areas? God calls us to discipline ourselves, and this we must do in order to
become fully devoted followers of Christ.
In ignoring our physical nature, Christians
do not take to heart many of the examples that the Bible offers to us. We read of great feats, of mighty prowess, and of great service that was
only possible through previous exercise and devotions to health. Jesus Christ shows us that even he spent time developing his physical
side. He prepared himself to meet
the challenges that he was to face in a way which maximized his abilities. He knew the capabilities of a human body, and what must be done to
fulfill his calling. We must try to be Christ-like in all we do, training
ourselves for the trials ahead. David was given powerful gifts in his physical nature. He used these gifts to glorify God, and to spread knowledge of His power. His trained himself in a way which made total use of these gifts, not
ignoring any part of his life, but seeking to develop his entire self.
We
have also been given gifts, some of a physical nature. We must strive to be the best possible in all that we have been given in
order to offer up praises to our creator. Daniel
was disciplined in all he did. He
realized that the physical affected the mental and spiritual sides of humanity.
He sought to avoid indulgence in activities, or foods, that would be detrimental
to who God wanted him to be. We
must seek this discipline in our own lives. The Bible offers to us many examples of people who lead a truly Godly
life. We must see that our physical sides are represented strongly,
and to ignore it would be wrong. Truly,
physical fitness and a pursuance of health are acts of devotion to God.
