Be Real - By Exercising!

In this time of quarantine, we find that we are limited in the activities and places that we can go. As a result of the “Stay Home and Stay Safe” order given by the Governor of Michigan, we are limited to activities within our homes. This has slowed down the pace of life dramatically. Today, let’s take a few moments to consider how we can be productive durring this time physically and spiritually.

 Be Real – By exercising physically and spiritually!

 Today our text is 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 – “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” In light of our quarantine, there are two important activities I want to encourage each of us to participate in. Exercising physically and spiritually!

 Context: 1 Timothy is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to a young pastor named Timothy. This chapter focuses on taking and applying the doctrine that has been laid out in chapters 1-3. The first part of verse 7 gives a clear directive – don’t practice or “have anything to do with irreverent, silly myths.” These come from the opinions and wisdom of people apart from the Word of God. They are not worth the time because they will not enable spiritual exercise and consequently will not produce fruit.

 Lesson: Paul wants Timothy to focus on what will result in growth! During our time of quarantine, it would be very easy to misplace our time and fail to use it to effectively produce fruit. Our lives have been put on hold, plans cancelled, and as we look at the weeks ahead there is still uncertainty. However, it is important that we take responsibility for today and put the work in to produce fruit.

 Physical exercise, according to Paul, has some benefit. I don’t think our physical health and caring for our bodies is being downplayed here. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians makes clear that our bodies do not merely belong to us but they house the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We are called to glorify God in our bodies. I don’t think this just means avoiding using our body to sin. I think it also means putting in the work and effort to exercise what God has given us to enable us to bear fruit.

 It is clear that spiritual exercise is of greater importance than physical. The baseline reason is that physical exercise can only produce results in the life we are living now. However, spiritual exercise produces beneficial results in this life, and it will in the life to come.

Application: Let’s be proactive and intentional with how we spend our time to ensure we are exercising both physically and spiritually so we can be productive, even in the midst of our quarantines!

Action Steps:

• Physical Exercise:

  • Go for a walk!

  • Workout using free YouTube videos! (Fitness Blender has a wide variety of workouts).

• Spiritual Exercise:

  • Start a new Bible plan! (Check out Bible app by life. Church)

  • Journal what you are leaning.

  • Share what you learn with family and friends via social media.

  • Communicate with God!