Does God Care about My Body?

Emily Tenter

December 3, 2019 • Alissa Griffin • Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 3:7–10, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

"I’m fat." "My skin is broken out." "My nose is too big." "I’m ugly."

Thoughts like these have haunted me most of my life, particularly during my teenage years. I often wondered what was wrong with me. "Why couldn’t I look different?" Sometimes just looking in a mirror made me want to cry.

My weight bothered me most, so I tried anything to reduce it. I refused my body nourishment, exercised too much, adopted specific and irrational eating rituals, and spiraled into binge-eating. All of this was an attempt to quiet the sadness inside. I thought if I could control my weight tightly enough, I would be happy.

What I couldn’t see back then was that I was believing a lie. I hated my body for how it looked and thought it was worthless. I didn’t think God cared or had anything to say about it. It took me many years and much wise Christian counsel to realize that nothing could be further from the truth.

God created all of us in His image, the crown jewels of His originally good creation. It was only after humanity’s fall into sin that we began misusing our bodies and considering them shameful. But even in our broken state, Jesus came to die on our behalf and make us right with God again, no matter what we look like (Romans 5:6-8).

Now, God doesn’t make His home in a physical building anymore: He lives in us. That’s right, He chose to make the body that I hated and mistreated for so long into His temple. Scripture tells us that we are not our own, we were bought at a very high price: the blood of Jesus. Therefore, we are called to glorify Him with our bodies.

So, if you are ever tempted to view your body as I did, please remember that you are worth much more than you think. The staggering reality is that we, bodies included, are immeasurably valuable because God created us, loves us, died for us, and lives in us. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing. • Alissa Griffin

• What does it mean to bear the image of God? What does this say about how valuable our bodies are to God?

• What does it mean to glorify God with our bodies?

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (CSB)

Are My Best Years Behind Me?

December 31, 2019 • Aurora Scriver • 2 Peter 3:2–13, Revelation 21:1–5

"My best years are behind me.” I know I’ve whispered or shouted that lie to myself in times of transition—a new school, a new job, a new schedule. One of the most stinging times I remember was when I was about to go to college. I was leaving behind my beloved hometown, church family, and friends. At the time, high school had been my best four years yet. I couldn’t imagine how there could be better days after those times. . But, guess what? If you know Jesus, your best days are never behind you. Because, even though one day you will die, you await resurrection in Him. Jesus is coming back to make all things new—heaven, earth, me, you, and everyone else who is a part of His family through faith. When we come back to life, our sin stays dead. Sin is what causes all that is twisted and broken, so, when it’s gone, there will be no more tears, pain, or death. Instead, through Jesus, we will live as we were made to—in perfect relationship with God and each other. . Serving God then won’t be boring; contrary to popular belief, it won’t even be limited to singing. We will worship God by using all of the amazing talents and gifts He gave us. And while we don’t know all the details of our sinless, resurrected existence, we do know that we’ll have Jesus, our family of former sinners now saved by grace, and the promise of the best years of our lives—forever. . And we don’t have to wait to start participating in this amazing kingdom work. That’s because Jesus started it and called us to continue it by the power of His Holy Spirit. As soon as you know Jesus through faith, you can jump right in. Go serve God in your everyday life through the gifts He has given you, asking Him and looking for opportunities to share the good news: through Jesus, our best days are yet to come. • Aurora Scriver . • What have been the best times of your life so far? What made them great? . • What part are you most looking forward to about the new heavens and new earth? What questions do you have about them? . • What talents and gifts do you have that you can use to share the good news of Jesus? . But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13 (WEB)

Trust God

December 30, 2019 • Emily Rudolph • Psalm 9:10, Psalm 36:5, 2 Corinthians 1:20, 2 Thessalonians 3:3

With our heads bowed and eyes closed, I sat in our weekly prayer circle at church. Every Wednesday before band practice, our ministry group would come together and pray. We took turns thanking God, praising Him, and laying our requests before Him. As I listened to my friend talk to the Lord beside me, I knew I was next to pray. . “Lord,” I prayed, “thank You for Your grace and love. Thank You for our many blessings.” I paused because I wasn’t sure how to put the thoughts in my heart into audible words: “And... um... Lord, help me to trust You. Sometimes it’s just hard to trust You.” I closed my short prayer with an “amen” and then continued praying silently with the friends beside me. . As I sat there listening to the other prayer requests, I realized what I had just said to the Lord: “Sometimes it’s hard to trust You.” Immediately, my heart flinched, and I felt convicted. . Had God given me a reason not to trust Him? Was His track record tainted in some way? Was He not faithful to me? Had He retracted His love for me? As I wrestled with these questions in my mind, the solitary answer was a resounding, “No!” . Here’s what I do know. God is the One who tells me that He will never leave me (Hebrews 13:5). He is the One who loves me unconditionally (Romans 8:38-39). He is the One who loves me even in the midst of my sin (Romans 5:8). He is the One who sent His only Son to die in my place (John 3:16). He calls me His own... His child (John 1:12). He can be trusted more than we can possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:14-21). • Emily Rudolph . • In our broken world, people can be untrustworthy. You may have been hurt by a person’s unfaithfulness. Read Numbers 23:19. Why God can be trusted, even when others are not trustworthy? . • Read the Bible passages mentioned in the last paragraph of today’s devotion. For each passage, tell yourself (out loud) who God is. (For example, “He loves me forever. He will never leave me.”) Write down any of the truths that stick out to you. . Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord. Psalm 9:10 (CSB)

Letters of Shame

December 29, 2019 • Rebecca Roskamp • Psalm 139:1, John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:9

What am I? I thought as I stared down at my hand, now covered in words written in permanent ink. Cruel words—written all over my hands— stabbing me in the heart like knives. . This can’t be who I am, I thought. Lazy, slow, fat, short, stupid, weak... every word stung with fresh pain when I looked at it. Insult after insult, crawling up my fingers and over my knuckles like ugly insects. . Oh, God, no. This can’t be who I am. Where had the prayer come from? How had God come into this? God didn’t belong here, with this hand, covered in my brokenness. I was on the floor, crushed beneath the weight of the letters on my hand. What am I, God? . This isn’t who you are, Becca. . I blinked at the soft whisper over my heart. . That writing isn’t you. That writing is what they think of you. It isn’t what defines you. I will tell you what you are. In Christ, you are My child—loved and treasured. Replace those words with My words, Becca. All that matters is what I think and say of you. Because I know you. And I love you. . “Okay, God,” I said with sobs. “But it’s so hard. These words won’t just go away.” . By My power, they can. Slowly and painfully, they will leave as you replace them with My words. It won’t be easy. But I will help you. I will remind you. I will love you. . I looked again at the words, feeling their hot sting. . NO MORE. “What God says is all that matters,” I said. I picked up a red marker from the floor. I opened my hand and, right over my palm, wrote the words, YOU SAY. . The red ink, like Christ’s blood, covered some of the letters of shame on my hand. Peace settled over me. And while I knew it wouldn’t be easy, little by little, the poison of the words of shame would give way to the peace of the red letters representing what God thought of me. I would let His words guard me from the sting of lies. God would define me. I am what He says I am. • Rebecca Roskamp . • What are your letters of shame? Reread today’s Bible verses. In Christ, how does God see and define you? . • How can you use God’s definition of you to replace the lies of your letters of shame? . O Lord, You have searched me and known me. Psalm 139:1 (NKJV)