On Exercise

I have been told many times that when if you begin an exercise regimen and keep at it, your body will get to the place of wanting it and you will begin to enjoy it.  I wonder how long it takes.  I have been walking two miles a day for I don't know how long and I STILL have to force my body to get moving every time.  I think Paul understood what I am going through when he said,
"For exercise of the body profits a little for this time, but righteousness profits in everything, and it has the promise of life for this time and of the future." I Timothy 4:8 Aramaic Bible in Plain English

At least I like to pretend he did.  The thing is, he probably didn't need extra exercise since he already walked virtually everywhere (except for boat trips).  Not only that, but they had to find food daily, whether by walking to the market, fishing, or hunting.

I think my biggest gripe is the amount of time it takes out of my day. 40-45 minutes is nothing to sneeze at.  I laugh when they have exercise commercials about JUST taking 30 minutes a day to work your body!!  To me that is a good chunk of time, especially when I'd rather be reading, studying and writing; then there is crocheting, cleaning, cooking, sewing and so many other things I would RATHER be doing!! 

As I started putting my tennis shoes on, this blog came to mind.  I still have only on one shoe.  However, since my foot is getting cold, I will put on the other quickly.

While physical exercise profits a little NOW, I notice that righteousness profits not only now, but in the future.  So, while I am stalling a bit at the physical, I will exult at the thought that perhaps this bit of writing might encourage someone who reads it. 

The Free Dictionary gives a clear and Biblical description of righteousness.
Righteousness is to be morally upright; without guilt or sin

The problem is, we have all sinned (Romans 3:23).  Therefore we cannot be truly righteous, so how can anything we do be of any profit for now or the future other than physical exercise, which is only good for the now?  (We can see the truth in this, because the moment we stop exercising, problems of weight and/or health, such as loss of muscle mass, begin to take effect in our bodies.)  Praise God for always having the answer!!
For he has made him (Jesus), who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

That is such wonderful news!!  We (those of us who have not only believed Jesus is God's Son and that He died and rose again, but have received Him as our personal Savior through prayer; seeking cleansing from sin through His death on the cross and eternal life through His resurrection from the dead) are now the righteousness of God Himself!! 

Now we can do one of two things with this information; in humility lift up praise and honor to God for such a precious gift and seek to serve Him in ANY way possible, or become proud and arrogant that God has chosen us to be used by Him and look down on those not as "holy and righteous as we."  Most of us, if we are completely honest, tend to do a bit of both. 

But that is not the point I have on my heart.  Here it is: Now that we have become His righteousness, how do we live it out in the world and draw others to Him because of it?  I think Philippians 2 has the answer:
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Simply put, become more like Jesus.  How?  There is an old saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," meaning that children tend to become more like their parents as they grow older.  This is not ALWAYS the case, but mostly.  Why?  Because they are around their parents most of the time growing up.  They have been observing, admiring, and trusting their parents to lead them in the right direction for real life.  When they have parents that seem to have the answer to life, they want to be just like them so they can have the answer as well.  So they get to know their parents through conversations and studying them.

It is the same with Jesus.  If we want to be more like Him, we must get to really know Him.  We KNOW He has the answer to life, so why wouldn't we want to be more like Him?

Reading our Bibles is awesome and will give us some insights, at least into His great love for people and hatred for sin and the effect it has on our lives.  However, studying is better in that some of the words have a bit of a different meaning now than when written.  Righteousness is one of those words.  Back then it was an automatic knowing that the words were speaking of being sinless.  Now, however, the definition has changed a bit without us even noticing in the Christian world, because it still seems "close enough."

right·eous

ˈrīCHəs/

adjective

adjective: righteous

1. 1.

   (of a person or conduct) morally right or justifiable; virtuous.

   "he is a good, righteous man, I am sure"

   2.  USinformal

   very good; excellent.

   "righteous bread pudding   

   That is one simple example, but there are many, so study is more vital today than ever before, because simply reading doesn't give us full meaning.  And then there is conversation, the easiest and hardest thing for us to do.  While we find it immensely simple to speak to a human being, we become tongue tied when speaking with our heavenly Father!!  Why?  I think because we still have a tendency to think of Him as being "out there," distant both physically and emotionally.  I can assure anyone who wants to know that if we can force ourselves to get up and do physical exercise, we can make ourselves get on our knees and speak with God.  The "trick" so to speak, is to imagine Him right there in the room with you.  I have actually pictured Him sitting in the arm chair.  I have "crawled up in His lap" and poured my heart out to Him.  You may think it silly and fanciful, but He did promise to always be with us!!  (Matthew 28:20) Other times I have written my prayers in journals.  Recently it has become easier for me to simply pray aloud in a whisper.  It doesn't matter how we pray, simply that we do it.  Conversation is never one way though.  We also must listen.  God doesn't always speak while I am praying.  As a matter of fact, He usually doesn't.  But while I am working, playing, making a gift or whatever, times I am mentally quiet, He speaks to me in a quiet and gentle voice what He wants me to do, or sometimes He gives me insight into a passage I have asked Him about.  Know this, He always answers when we ask, we are just not always listening for the answer He has to give.Father, You are so extremely lovely and wonderful!  I know I have more to learn about You than is possible to learn in a lifetime, but I want to know as much of You as IS possible.  Help us, Your children to seek to know You better so we can be more like Jesus on a daily basis!!