Spirit – Look after your body

Pastor Pushie Watson says GUARD God’s temple, your body.

The body does not come with spare parts. A mother cannot pick-and-choose which parts she would like for her baby. The sonogram shows you a 4D picture of exactly what you’re getting, male or female, and all the parts, both internal and external, and organs of the baby. What you’re born with is often what you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. Now, of course, today we have the benefits of cosmetic surgery, prosthetics, and transplants; but even those are not accessible to everybody. Therefore, taking care of the body you were given at birth, in whatever shape, size, or form, has to be paramount if it’s to last you a lifetime. Unfortunately we often take what we have for granted until it’s too late.

A little while ago I had a health scare. I gathered up the courage to phone for a doctor’s appointment. The receptionist says, “Let me check the diary.” After a few long minutes she replied, “Doctor’s very busy at the moment but I can help you in two weeks’ time.” Ok, if I knew I was going to be ill, I would’ve called two weeks ago. What if the stress from worrying kills me? I’m already too scared to face this health challenge, yet when I muster up the courage to face it, you try to deter me by delays, tempting me to cancel. This is when you start having conversations with God, and begin frantically quoting every healing scripture you know. “Lord, I need you. You know I’ve already been through enough. I’ve had my fair share of troubles. I don’t need another test. I can’t afford to be sick. Please rescue me from this.”

Have you ever experienced a health scare or setback that brought your entire life to a complete standstill? Until then, you take your health for granted. Many years ago, during a very turbulent time in my life, a friend said to me, “Once you have your health, you have life.” In other words what you’re so worried about is immaterial when you still have your health, because you still have the ability to turn it around and live your best life. That statement put everything into perspective. But I never contemplated ever facing a health crisis. Youth deludes you into thinking you have your whole life ahead of you. You take it for granted, not appreciating the body is a gift without a lifetime warranty, and old age is a privilege not all get to see.

But as you get older, you start appreciating the gift of good health. You stop abusing your body, and take care of it. You learn your body is the temple of God, which you must honour, respect and treasure. You become more careful of what you do with it and who you give it to. So guard and protect it like your most precious jewel.

Oh, so I eventually did see the doctor. After much panic and prayer I awaited my test results. The doctor said, “There’s nothing wrong.” Oh, thank God! I felt my strength, courage and joy coming back. Never again would I take good health for granted. I have to live long enough to fulfill the purpose and call of God on my life and accomplish the assignment for which I was born; and I only have one body to do it with.

So I must preserve it, spirit, soul and mind to achieve all that it was created to do.

‘What you’re so worried about is immaterial when you still have your health and the ability to turn it around and live your best life.