Body More Than Soul
"Whenever He entered into villages, cities or the country,they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that He might just touch the border of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well." (Mark 6:56)
It is no different today, than it was during the time of Jesus' ministry. When people hear of a person who is providing an extraordinary insight or a product, they flock to hear and obtain what is presented to them. Jesus was gaining popularity in His healing ministry. When they landed in "the land of Gennesaret" people were gathering their sick and bringing them to the marketplaces in their cities. And when Jesus came, they begged to have the sick just touch the border of His garment.
And it says that in so doing, many were healed. They were not so much concerned with being taught, as they were that their loved ones were healed.
To a certain degree, I get that. If you have someone in your family that has, say, a terminal illness, and you know of someone who has the power to heal this certain illness, wouldn't you make every effort to bring your loved one to this person for help? This would be weighing very heavy on your mind. But that does not take away the fact that we tend to lean on the desire to focus on food for our stomachs, and what will help our bodies to feel good, and physically fit.
We don't take as much consideration for our spiritual welfare , as we do our physical welfare. But Paul instructs Timothy: "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)
The burdens of the body can become great, and the Lord knows the weight of which we carry. But the burdens of the soul, need attending more, because our soul is the part of us that links to our Creator, Redeemer, and Shepherd for eternity.
This life here in our bodies is for a short time, compared to our eternal existence.
Godliness is crucial for our spiritual relationship with God, with others, and for our righteous behavior as Christians. I look at godliness as our pursuit in being like Christ, in every aspect of our lives.
No, we are not to neglect our bodies. We are to have them be in compliance with the Word of God. But more than this, we are to give much attention to the maintenance of our souls. We are to keep ourselves united to the Vine (John 15). This will help us benefit from the spiritual resources that will help us be spiritually healthy, and fit, for when the Lord Jesus gathers us for all eternity. GP
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