Haggai 1:3-4 – “Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?’”
The people of Israel had neglected the house of God and it lay in ruins. In the verses above, God speaks to the prophet Haggai and directs the people to set their priorities straight. They needed to first rebuild God’s temple and then concentrate on their other tasks.
In the New Testament, our bodies are considered God’s dwelling place – His temple. Are we taking care of it, or neglecting it while we work tirelessly toward becoming successful in this world. While our earthly bodies are temporary, we do need to be in good health if we are to carry out God’s purpose in and through our lives.
While we work towards becoming good stewards of God’s temple, we also cultivate the fruit of self control. Feeding your mind and body with good nourishment, and saying no to things that may corrupt it builds up your emotional and spiritual muscles as well. May we seek to build ourselves up in a manner that brings glory to God.
