Not My Own? That's Right!

Daily Reading: 1 Corinthians 7

Scripture Focus: The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.  The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband.  In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. (1 Corinthians 7.3-4, NIV)

Devotional Thought: Paul talks about a rather sensitive subject in 1 Corinthians 7: sex!  I’m not sure that what he says in vv. 3-4 would be deemed politically correct in today’s culture of personal rights and freedom: “What do you mean my body is not my own?!”  “I have the right to do whatever I want with my body!”  “Nobody else can tell me what to do with my body!”  Yet, in this chapter about marriage, Paul returns to a theme he has addressed before: we are not our own.  We have been bought with a price.

Now, I really don’t want to address the subject of sex between a husband and wife.  Instead, I would ask, “Is it really true that we have the sole say as to what happens with our bodies?”

·       We don’t think it wrong to quarantine someone who is COVID-infected.

·       We pass laws that require pedestrians to walk on the sidewalk and not the interstate.

·       We do not object to incarcerating the bodies of violent and dangerous criminals.

·       We decry the wife and mother who chooses to destroy her body with heroin rather than build her family with compassionate love.

So, while we acknowledge the basic freedom to determine what we do with our bodies, we also admit that there are valid circumstances when someone else “calls the shots” concerning our bodies.  And, there is, of course, the call of Christ to deny ourselves and lay down our lives.  If that doesn’t involve the body, just what does it involve?

Jesus laid down his body for you and me.  Are we following his lead?

Prayer: Jesus, since you suffered in the flesh, help me to arm myself with the same way of thinking (1 Peter 4.1).  I willingly surrender to you - body and soul.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 110.1-4

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. ”

2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!

3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.

4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. ”