Having identified that we were created in God’s image in our last post, and that we have a responsibility to keep our bodies holy for Him, we will look at some practical ways to glorifying God with your body.
1. Be clean at all times. Keeping your body clean is the first part. Your outer body is what people see, and the condition of your skin, hair, or face tells them a lot of how clean or dirty you are.
Nobody wants to come near a dirty person. Or would you stand beside someone like that? I doubt that.
Children, endeavour to take your baths in the mornings before you leave the house, when you get back from school or after any activity that leaves you sweaty.
Activities like when you finish playing football or running with your friends.
When you allow sweat to stay long on your skin, it forms bacteria that could lead to some skin conditions like eczema and rashes.
More importantly, always use a sponge and soap and scrub your skin very well, but not too harshly as you don’t want to have some mild bruises all over your skin.
Also take care of any skin conditions with the right medication.
I will also mention this; brush your teeth in the morning, and at night before you sleep.
Comb or brush your hair before you leave the house. Cut it also when due.
For girls, pack your hair neatly with a hairband or visit a hairdresser to make it for you. Keep your hair well oiled and neat.
Clean and trim your nails when due.
Wash your clothes not only when they are dirty, but also when they smell of sweat.
Ensure that your clothes are clean and smell fine. Iron them or plead with your parents to help you do so.
By now, you must be asking…How does doing all these help me be holy before God?
Looking and smelling good attracts people to you. When they admire you, they are indirectly praising God over you. That is how God is worshipped! That is a way of glorifying God with your body.
Looking and smelling nice could also make people listen to you when you tell them about Jesus. And when they finally accept Christ into their lives, you have won a soul into God’s kingdom by your appearance. Do you see how you are worshipping God in your physical appearance?
We pray that God himself, the God of peace, will make you pure, belonging only to him. We pray that your whole self–spirit, soul, and body–will be kept safe and be without wrong when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.
In this series, you will be learning how to glorify God with your body. Like you must have been taught in school, your body comprises both the outer and inner parts. From your skin to fingers to the liver, to the intestines, they all form your body.
These parts all have their functions and contribute to the perfect functioning of your body.
An abnormality in one of these parts can affect other parts and even lead to the breakdown of the whole body.
Each one of us has a body, and that body has many parts. These parts all have different uses.
Romans 12:4 ICB
Children, remember that the bible makes us to understand that you were created in the image of God.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image and likeness…”
Gen. 1:26 ICB
There are few implications of being made in the image of God. Let’s consider them.
1. Your body should be safe and holy for God: Your God is holy and only by being holy can you please Him
2. There are ways to keep your body safe and holy: As a child, you will get to a stage in your life when you have to take care of your body yourself. Your parents won’t have to bathe you any longer or help wash your clothes again.
3. Taking care of your body is worship to God: Worshipping God goes beyond singing praises to God. Your body is a gift from God, so take good care of it.
May God grant you the grace to glorify God in your body in Jesus name, amen.
Prayer: Dear Lord, grant me the grace to understand why I should keep my body holy for you and help me do so. Amen.
Action point: Have you been careless with the way you keep your body? Repent!
Declaration: I keep my body pure because I am made in the image of God.
In the beginning, was the word. The passage in John 1 verse 1 tells us to always have the word as our foundation. Children can know God’s Word. No matter what we want to do for our children, the word has to be the beginning of it.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
Our children must be made to understand that life outside the word is a life of crisis. At the beginning of their lives, they should be introduced to the word, who is God. Children can know the Word of the LORD.
They having a good relationship with the word will help shape their lives and prepare them for the times ahead.
Declaration: My children know the word. They have a good beginning. Their foundation is set right.
Prayers: My children will love God’s word in Jesus’ name. Amen
God is love and he expresses that love by giving us his only son. And we should practice giving as the Lord, and giving as the Lord commands. How easy did you think that was?
Giving unto God should come from a place of sincerity of heart, so that our gifts will be accepted.
The Holy Spirit, speaking through Apostle Paul, told us a mystery about giving.
He said the first thing to do when you want to give is to decide in your heart.
2 Cor 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (ESV)
Many people give out of sentiments or emotions. But don’t do that. You should practice giving as the Lord, and giving as the Lord commands.
Give cheerfully and joyfully. Joyful giving is another wonderful way of giving. It comes from your heart, especially when you see the amount of happiness you put on the faces of others.
The bible tells us to give with joy at all times. Not with grumbling or anger. But with intense joy.
God gives us with joy. He created the earth with joy in His heart. The bible tells us that while creating the earth, He kept seeing the things he was creating as good.
He kept creating out of the joy in his heart from seeing the wonderful things He was creating.
Be like God today, give with joy. As you bless others with joy, God will equally bless you too with joy. Learn the art of giving as the Lord, and giving as the Lord commands.
God bless you.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to give with joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Action point: When next you want to give somebody something, do so with much joy.
Declaration: I am a cheerful giver. I give with joy.
Recognizing Jesus as the only way is important. Imagine you want to reach a place and there’s only one way to reach there. Just one way to get there. You search the internet, look it up on the map, ask around, do all you can, but still can’t seem to find an alternative route. You can’t think of another way. No one can show another way and if they do, it’s the wrong way.
That’s the same way it is with Christ.
Look at the verse below
“Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 [GW]
That was Jesus telling the disciples about how to get to know God. He means that only a person who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour can get to God and get to heaven. Recognizing Jesus as the only way is important.
Jesus was simply saying; you want to know the Father, you come through me. I am the P.A to the heavenlies. I am not just a way, I am THE WAY. I am not just a door, I am THE DOOR.
There is no other way. Any other way is the wrong way and it won’t get you to heaven.
Children, do you want to go to heaven? Do not listen to people who say there is another way to heaven. Recognizing Jesus as the only way is important. I like the way this translation puts it;
Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.
John 14:6 [ERV]
The only way to the Father is through Jesus, no other way.
Selah!
Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour?
Prayer: Lord, Jesus, I thank you for being the only way to God. Thank You for making it so simple.
Action point: Accept Christ into your life today. Tomorrow might just be too late.
Declaration: I accept Jesus as the only way. He will lead me to the Father. Amen
