“It is precisely this appropriate recognition of the body
and of its implications for theology that is missing in currently dominant
views of Christian salvation or deliverance. The human body is the focal point
of human existence. Jesus had one. We have one. Without the body in its proper
place, the pieces of the puzzle of new life in Christ do not realistically fit together,
and the idea of really following him and becoming like him remains a practical
impossibility.” Spirit of the Disciplines, 29-30)
Wow, what a classic statement, “Jesus had one” (a body).
That’s right, Jesus was flesh and blood just like I am. Jesus felt all the
things life has to offer just like I do. Jesus laughed and cried. He felt what
it was like to be scolded by his parents. He knew what it was like to feel
rejected. Here is one that many people probably don’t think much about Jesus.
Jesus pooped. That’s right, Jesus pooped and had to wipe his butt.
What does all of this have to do with anything?
Our bodies and our souls cannot be separated. We are
physical beings. And we are spiritual beings. We are connected beings that what
we physically do matters. What I do with my body and how I treat my body
matters because I can use my body to either develop my spirit or starve it.
It is possible to have our spirit and our physical body all
out of wack. In other words, my body and my spirit can be disconnected and this
wreaks havoc on our lives. Is it possible to want to do something so bad and
yet you end up doing the thing exact opposite of what you wanted to do. Yup! I
have lived it. Check out what Paul says in the letter to the Romans, “I
do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate
I do.” There sure is a lot of do-do in there.
When left to myself, I make a fool of my life. I am a work
in progress. I am trying the best I can to give myself to becoming like Jesus. This
takes effort on my part and Jesus does his part. There are no shortcuts to this
process. Good luck Verduzco.
No comments:
Post a Comment