January is typically the time for setting New Year’s resolutions. Alas, all too often, it soon proves the time for breaking them as well! The classic examples for most people are those of exercising and getting into shape.
The Bible declares the human body to be the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and encourages us, therefore, to honor God with our bodies. Unfortunately, many of us have plenty of reason to fall under conviction around the first of every year about what we have done to God’s Temple over the recent holiday season.
Of course, the powers that be know all of this – especially those on Madison Avenue. For this reason, gym memberships, exercise machines, diet plans, and the like are all heavily marketed to us over the airwaves around this time of year. And millions of dollars are spent on these things based on good intentions.
Let's face it, however. As we all know, by around the middle of February, many of these same exercise machines are being used to hang sweaters and other delicate laundry items as they dry. By July, these machines have usually been relegated to the carport; and sometime around September, they can be found discounted by the dozens at neighborhood garage sales!
If you are not the type to commit to a regular exercise program, do not worry. I have some good news for you today. According to a new study, you may not need to. I recently came across a calorie guide titled “Daily Exercise for the Non-Athletic”, which cites a medical association report as follows:
"Proper weight control and physical fitness cannot be attained by dieting alone. Many people who are engaged in sedentary occupations do not realize that calories can be burned by the hundreds by engaging in strenuous activities that do not require physical exercise."
Here is the guide to calorie-burning activities and the number of calories per hour they consume.
Beating around the bush..................................................................................75
Jumping to conclusions..................................................................................100
Climbing the walls..........................................................................................150
Swallowing your pride......................................................................................50
Passing the buck..............................................................................................25
Throwing your weight around (depending on your weight).......................50-300
Dragging your heels.......................................................................................100
Pushing your luck...........................................................................................250
Making mountains out of molehills.................................................................500
Hitting the nail on the head..............................................................................50
Wading through paperwork............................................................................300
Bending over backwards..................................................................................75
Jumping on the bandwagon...........................................................................200
Running around in circles...............................................................................350
Eating crow....................................................................................................225
Tooting your own horn.....................................................................................25
Adding fuel to the fire.....................................................................................150
Opening a can of worms..................................................................................50
Of course, this entire list is facetious. And yet, if we would be honest, we realize that if doing these things was all it took to be healthy, most of us would be in tip-top shape!
On a serious note, we know that there are many things we can do or not do that contribute to the health of our physical bodies. But humorous pieces like this remind us that we are more than mere physical beings. Along with our bodies, we have minds, and souls, and spirits.
And just as with our bodies, we soon discover that there are things we can do or not do that contribute to the well-being or lack thereof of these aspects of our personhood as well.
So, my friend, take care of the body that God has given you. It is the only one you will ever get in this world. But remember that you also have a mind and a soul and a spirit, and that these things need attention as well.
In the New Testament Gospel of Mark (chapter 10, verses 25-28), the following conversation unfolds:
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Here we learn that men and women are much more than mere physical beings. Here we also learn that life - genuine life, full life, eternal life - involves exercising the full measure of our being, by using each of the aspects that comprise us to love and glorify our Creator.
In light of this, as you make your plans for getting into better shape for the coming year, why not include some ideas for exercising your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as well as your body? You’ll likely be glad you did. And so will your Heavenly Father!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
http://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/6.htm and http://biblehub.com/niv/luke/10.htm.
JOKE SOURCE:
http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/e/exercize.htm.
The Bible declares the human body to be the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and encourages us, therefore, to honor God with our bodies. Unfortunately, many of us have plenty of reason to fall under conviction around the first of every year about what we have done to God’s Temple over the recent holiday season.
Of course, the powers that be know all of this – especially those on Madison Avenue. For this reason, gym memberships, exercise machines, diet plans, and the like are all heavily marketed to us over the airwaves around this time of year. And millions of dollars are spent on these things based on good intentions.
Let's face it, however. As we all know, by around the middle of February, many of these same exercise machines are being used to hang sweaters and other delicate laundry items as they dry. By July, these machines have usually been relegated to the carport; and sometime around September, they can be found discounted by the dozens at neighborhood garage sales!
If you are not the type to commit to a regular exercise program, do not worry. I have some good news for you today. According to a new study, you may not need to. I recently came across a calorie guide titled “Daily Exercise for the Non-Athletic”, which cites a medical association report as follows:
"Proper weight control and physical fitness cannot be attained by dieting alone. Many people who are engaged in sedentary occupations do not realize that calories can be burned by the hundreds by engaging in strenuous activities that do not require physical exercise."
Here is the guide to calorie-burning activities and the number of calories per hour they consume.
Beating around the bush..................................................................................75
Jumping to conclusions..................................................................................100
Climbing the walls..........................................................................................150
Swallowing your pride......................................................................................50
Passing the buck..............................................................................................25
Throwing your weight around (depending on your weight).......................50-300
Dragging your heels.......................................................................................100
Pushing your luck...........................................................................................250
Making mountains out of molehills.................................................................500
Hitting the nail on the head..............................................................................50
Wading through paperwork............................................................................300
Bending over backwards..................................................................................75
Jumping on the bandwagon...........................................................................200
Running around in circles...............................................................................350
Eating crow....................................................................................................225
Tooting your own horn.....................................................................................25
Adding fuel to the fire.....................................................................................150
Opening a can of worms..................................................................................50
Of course, this entire list is facetious. And yet, if we would be honest, we realize that if doing these things was all it took to be healthy, most of us would be in tip-top shape!
On a serious note, we know that there are many things we can do or not do that contribute to the health of our physical bodies. But humorous pieces like this remind us that we are more than mere physical beings. Along with our bodies, we have minds, and souls, and spirits.
And just as with our bodies, we soon discover that there are things we can do or not do that contribute to the well-being or lack thereof of these aspects of our personhood as well.
So, my friend, take care of the body that God has given you. It is the only one you will ever get in this world. But remember that you also have a mind and a soul and a spirit, and that these things need attention as well.
In the New Testament Gospel of Mark (chapter 10, verses 25-28), the following conversation unfolds:
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Here we learn that men and women are much more than mere physical beings. Here we also learn that life - genuine life, full life, eternal life - involves exercising the full measure of our being, by using each of the aspects that comprise us to love and glorify our Creator.
In light of this, as you make your plans for getting into better shape for the coming year, why not include some ideas for exercising your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as well as your body? You’ll likely be glad you did. And so will your Heavenly Father!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
http://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/6.htm and http://biblehub.com/niv/luke/10.htm.
JOKE SOURCE:
http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/e/exercize.htm.