Romans 7:14-25
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
We carry so much in our bodies; our stress, our joy, our spirit, our baggage, our sadness, our approach to the day. It was a colleague who observed that you can tell so much about someone from how they carry themselves, their posture, how they walk, how they hold their head, the bounce (or lack thereof) in their step. And it is true. Persons I know well are utterly transparent about their state of mind and heat by how they walk and stand. Even those who cannot walk carry themselves in transparent ways, the spirit talks and we ought to be listening.
I do not think the body is corrupt flesh. I don’t like that language. I consider myself very uptight when it comes to the body, I don’t like to be touched, I don’t like people standing too close, I am not one to go for massages or long hot showers or long baths. I don’t attend to my body in that way, the word “pampering” or words “be good to yourself” do NOT resonate with me. But when I walk I feel the breath of God pulsing through my body and I love how that feels. I love the feeling of cool air on my face (when I am dressed warmly) and I love the sun’s warmth upon my whole body. I recently told my wife that if I could make any addition to our home and money was no object I would pay for someone to build us a sunroom.
I can’t believe God would create us with bodies and not want us to feel good about them. I think that is why pain feels like such a betrayal. We need to know that what was given us as a gift is experienced as a gift, celebrated as a gift. Some days I just walk with the feeling I am walking on holy ground, I love how the ground beneath my feet feels as I take each step. I breathe in and breathe out, I touch the ground beneath and the air above, I see the beauty all around, and I give thanks, for my body.