My Body, My Slave

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 19-27
Focus Verse: "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside." Job 23: 10-11

Paul knew what it was like to make adjustments in his life.  After he had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, his life was totally different.  He was writing here about some of those things that he was doing in order to encourage people to be saved.  He takes into consideration who he is with in order to be in step with the culture that he is with.  He is willing to discipline himself in such a way that will be beneficial to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He concludes by saying that it wasn’t an easy thing to be disciplined, but that he beat his body or disciplined his body so that he was in control of all of his actions.

I remember when I was 15 years old, I had knee surgery.  The doctor came to visit me at the bed of the hospital after the surgery.  He asked me to lift my leg up.  I tried to lift my leg and nothing happened.  I couldn’t understand.  The doctor repeated the command.  I said, “I can’t.  It won’t go.”  No matter how much I tried, my leg just wouldn’t go up.  It seemed strange to not be in control of my body.  The doctor was noticeably disturbed and after a moment he took hold of my heel and lifted my leg for me.  He asked me to try to hold it in that “up” position.  It worked and I was able to keep it there.  Then, I could put my foot down and lift it again.  I couldn’t understand why my leg began working, when it refused to before.  The doctor said that my leg “forgot” how to respond but when he moved it, it remembered.  I was relieved.  The more I exercised it, however, the more control I recovered.

Did you ever hear that, “The Devil made me do it.” or “I just couldn’t help myself” or maybe “Well, that’s just the way I am.”  These are just some of the excuses that we use when we are not disciplined.  Do you feel trapped or helpless?  If you failed and forgot how to respond to God, just ask for him to help you.  Then keep exercising and you will get stronger.  We exercise our discipline with daily devotions.  We need to consider others and how they will perceive our actions and words.  Even though I have the right to do something, doesn’t mean I should do it.  1 Corinthians 8:9 "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak."  If it could cause someone to reject the message of Christ, then... is it worth it?

Where is God leading you to be more disciplined?

What steps will you take to exercise and discipline your body for Christ?

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries