I Work Out!

"I work out!"

This has become a punch line of sorts for me over the years. This is the answer that I give whenever someone asks if I can help them carry something, or help them move, or even if my wife asks me to take out the garbage. Well, of course I can! I work out!

I say this with the knowledge that I am being satirical. There is an element of truth to it...I do work out! At the same time though, I say this line in full well knowing that it will elicite a reaction of laughter (at least...that is the hope).

This is not necessarily a bad thing. I take no offense that people laugh. I do not assume that they are laughing at the concept of me lifting weights, but more-so it being my rational for why I am able to help. But this is now getting off the point...

I have always been a skinny guy to the point that it has become an element of my identity. One of my first e-mail addresses was simply Coatrack. My logic behind this was that I am tall, slender, and like to wear coats. During my important formative years I was part of a club called "Team Lanky." (This did not involve organized events).

But recently (within the past few years) I have started making it more of a priority to care for my physical body.  Simply put (and this should not have been a breakthrough for me), simply being skinny does not make one healthy.

This has led me to enter into the gym over the past few years.  Learning to overcome my insecurities (feeling weak), and shame (looking weak); while learning to become more comfortable with who I am and how I am made.

But even still, the gym has been inconsistent to say the least.  Despite recognizing the positive impact that it has, and the important that I should place on it, I have rarely prioritized it in my daily life. 

And that is where I am today.  For the past 5 weeks I have been waking up early in order to prioritize my physical health.  I expected to see improvement in many areas: self-discipline (waking up early), my physical body (improved health), more energy, better sleep, etc.

But what has shocked me the most is the improvements that I did not expect, most of which I can see in my spiritual life.  The more frequently I found (forced?) myself going to the gym, the more connected I started to be in my relationships with God.  It may seem strange, but going to the gym has become a spiritual discipline of sorts in my life. 

My prayer time as I bike to the school.

The wonder that I have at how God designed my body to work.

My time of reflection during my cool down stretching.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I have heard this verse spoken on many times over the years, and every time it has come with an explanation such as: “And this is why you don’t smoke.”  Or, “You probably shouldn’t have drank that bottle of maple syrup.” Or, “That’s why tattoos are evil.”

But this verse has begun to take on a new meaning for me.  Rather than simply not doing wrong to our bodies (I have no problem with tattoos, but the maple syrup thing was a poor decision), we are called to do more.

When Solomon was overseeing the building of the Temple in 2 Chronicles 3, we read about the intricacy and beauty that he put into the temple…

And so I say with new meaning…”I work out!”