| She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31: 25-31 |
Thanksgiving Day 2020: I was on Amazon.com shopping for stationary bikes within minutes of finding out that my foot was broken. I wasn’t going to let this tennis injury mess with my fitness. I took one more day off and then started working out from a seated or lying-down position.
The injury turned out to be a Jones Fracture, which is something that heals very slowly. The days turned into weeks and weeks into months. I continued regular exercise, but this seated and lying-down stuff just isn’t the same as the sweat you get from a good run.
As I looked into the mirror this morning, determined that I would get back into proper shape in a hurry, God shifted my perspective. He opened up within me a whole new level of admiration for all of you Mom’s out there.
This foot injury changed my body. It’s been a battle for going on 4 months, and God reminded me that this struggle is NOTHING compared to what a Mom goes through. Nine months of profound changes within your body, followed by giving birth, followed by nursing, and the list goes on.
My wife has been through three pregnancies and three C-sections. And I’m feeling bad about a foot injury?
To all the moms: just as our verse says, you deserve to be honored. I can’t imagine what strength it takes to go through those massive bodily changes, get back in shape, only to go through the process again (and for some of you, again, and again, etc.)
As anyone involved in our athletics ministry (Victory Athletes) knows, we’re not doing this stuff to try and get a beach body. Of course, we want to look and feel good. But taking care of our bodies is truly about worshipping God. God created these bodies, and so, therefore, we honor Him with them. God paid the price to save us, and so, therefore, we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. Exercise is worship when we do it for God’s pleasure. If we treat our bodies like garbage, we are trashing what God created.
Mom’s: I honor you and would like to pray over you right now.
Lord God: You know the struggles that every one of these moms has been through. I’m thanking you right now in advance that every single one of the moms reading this is in the palm of Your hand. Thank you that You created their bodies and that You are their health. We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to You, Lord God. We know it’s our reasonable service to do so. I pray that you would lift up every Mom reading this and that the Holy Spirit would even be with them as they worship You through exercise. I thank you that You’re strengthening every single Mom reading this. I thank You that You’re showing them just how valued they are, that even the hairs on their head are numbered by You. Yes, these are our bodies, but we didn’t create them. Lord God, You created us. We thank You and give You all of the honor, the glory, and the praise. In Jesus’ mighty name. AMEN!