As Christians we believe that we each are given 'one life'. Hebrews 9:27 says that each of us will only die 'once' which clearly rules out the idea of reincarnation - so we only have this one life in which to get things right.
Far from disheartening us, this should act as a big incentive to live our lives in a way that fully expresses who God has made each of us to be. To make a careful examination of ourselves and 'take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life' Galatians 6:4-5 [The Message]
But our one life is made up of many aspects. There are many different factors that determine how we live. This week I am going to look at 5 different areas of our lives. Some of us will be doing better in one area than another but in fact all interlock, and all are equally important.
Today I want you think about the fact that you are a physical being. You have a body -and if any part of that body is hurting today you know about it. If even a paper cut can be an all day irritant, how much more distressing then is a disabling condition, a frightening diagnosis or simply the irrevocable decline of old age.
We are truly fragile beings. We don't even have to be in pain. Simply being too hot, too cold, too thirsty, too sleepy, can pull our lives and reactions seriously out of kilter. In addition to this, if we believe ourselves to be physically unattractive, this lowers our self-confidence and puts us at risk of being less than God created us to be.
So, how do you feel today about your body? Bring those feelings to the Father who says you are his 'masterpiece', the one who cares so much for you he counts the hairs on your head. Remember that his feelings about you are wholly positive. Remember that in his body, he experienced every kind of pain and distress. But he also graced our human bodies by choosing to have one. He also promises to transform our bodies so that one day we will have a glorious post-resurrection body as he did. He also only had 'one life' but what a difference he made in the way that he lived it and gave it.
Pray: either pray today about the way your physical pain is affecting you or pray for someone you know whose life is dominated by an issue to do with their body.
Sheila Bridge
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