Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

The NIV does its readers a severe disservice by rendering “flesh” as “sinful nature.” That’s the kind of thinking that has led to churches putting far more effort and resources into “creature comforts” than into missions, and has directly contributed to the obesity epidemic. There’s a reason why fasting is a spiritual exercise recommended throughout the Bible! It’s not that our bodies are bad as such, since they were created by God and His creation is good, it’s just that if we place our bodies ahead of God, we are in dangerous territory indeed, as Paul points out again and again. That’s why the “If it feels good, do it” movement of the ’60s, that has carried over through the present day, is so very damaging. Again, it’s not bad to have physical enjoyment, but if that is our focus, our bodies have replaced God in our hearts. In contrast, Paul spoke of our bodies as tents that wear out and need to be replaced, and went on to say that the dissolution of our present bodies is something to be looked forward to! (2 Corinthians 5:1-10) That not only impacts our priorities, it also impacts how we respond to physical problems such as disease and injury. When our focus is on God, controlled by His Spirit, then our bodies are tools to be used in His service, taken care of but not placed ahead of the tasks for which they are needed. The image comes to mind of someone not wanting to use something they own because then it wouldn’t be “new” any more! We aren’t called to be collectors, we are called to be workmen.

This comes into sharp focus for me because of the past few days that have made it clear that a majority of my wife’s physical ailments over the past several years can be attributed to lupus (SLE). That isn’t something we want her to have, certainly, but by putting a face on things it makes them easier to deal with. Some people are surprised at our response to the news, particularly since we had a close family friend who died of lupus. However, we are aware of the temporary nature of our “tents,” and simply seek to get the best use out of them for as long as we need them. For me particularly, the prospect of her having physical suffering and/or leaving me behind is not at all a happy one, but as long as our focus is on God and we allow His Spirit to control us, we will have peace and joy.

Father, thank You for Your grace. Thinking about it, it is a bit odd that Cathy and I both responded to yesterday’s hospital visit with more relief than anything else. Thank You for teaching us to trust You, and that we can rest in the assurance of Your love. I ask for clear guidance as to how we are to cooperate with Your health for her, and for me too, for that matter. May we be good stewards of these bodies without allowing them to distract us from the tasks You have for us, for which we need to use our bodies. Thank You. Praise God!