"You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. 2 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." Deuteronomy 14:1-2 NKJV
God did not approve of the Israelite's behaviour of cutting themselves and shaving the front of their head in an act of mourning for the dead. This was embedded in pagan and Canaanite ritualistic behaviour. God told the people that they were a holy people, chosen by God who classed them as a special treasure.
Have you ever stopped to consider that God, sees you as His chosen, special treasure. It may sound unbelievable but, it is true. This is the way that He sees each of us. You belong to a holy nation. Therefore, you should be living up to this. You are not a copy of another person, so stop trying to be. God knows you as yourself not someone else. Don't imitate rituals, don't become involved in them at all. The only thing on your mind and in your life, should be Jesus.
Let your life so demonstrate this - you are different, you don't follow the crowd, you follow Jesus Christ. Some may mould themselves on pop stars or a Hollywood movie star and then, they become disappointed when they realise that it was only a pipe dream. You don't come from Hollywood, you come from Heaven - a child of the Living God. You are different.
Because you are special, you need to take care of yourself. This means eating the right food and keeping your body in trim. Diet and exercise all lead to a healthy lifestyle. If your waistline has suddenly expanded and you are finding it difficult to fit into your clothes, this is a good indication that you need to check this. You are special; you are set apart and sanctified. You know who God is and, in return, He knows who you are too. The bottom line is, God wants you fit and healthy. Ensure that you eat the right food, not for religious reasons or to be like someone else. Be fit and healthy because this is what God wants for you, His special person.
Now this doesn't mean that you have to join a gym, buy all the lycra you can find and punch your body into shape. Not at all, although, if you feel that is ok for you, then go ahead. For the average person, God wants you fit and healthy. The wrong type of food can give our bodies lots of problems including, diabetes and heart problems just to mention two. Be honest, you know that you need to keep a check on yourself health wise. Therefore, with the New Year almost upon us, why not get your special body into shape.
Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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