Walking my dog this morning, her name is Tory, reminded me that at one time in my life I had the feeling that I was allergic to exercise. I’d had a series of small injuries so my new exercise routine was to walk after work, I would arrive at the health club, get on the treadmill and walk twenty minutes or a mile whichever came first. I had my twelve-year-old with me one night and he spends a few minutes on the treadmill and just jumps off the back in and goes to play basketball. Several nights later, I’m deep in my routine and I notice that my shoe is untied. So since I walk a mile or twenty minutes whichever came first, I went to jump off the back-end of the machine to tie my shoes.
Beloved, today in my walk I felt some back pain but as I walked Tory, the pain in my back eased up. Today, I am thankful that God designed our bodies for exercise and that we can exercise. Now my exercise verse is Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Exercise takes disciple as discussed in Hebrews 12: 11-13
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
So, back to the evening, when I jump off the treadmill, it didn’t work out so well. You see, I fought with the machine on the way down and almost pulled my shoulders out of the sockets as I was being hurled into the next room. (NOT) The man on the stepping machine came to my aid and turned off the treadmill. As I now sat on my bottom, in complete shock, I calmly held the tears back and tied my shoes. Then I got up and finished my twenty minutes. I had to have my husband help me undress when I got home. When I went back to the club there were warning signs above the machine about turning them off when exiting the machine.
Beloved, I am thankful that our bodies are made to exercise.
Father God, thank you for healing me of my many times that I have fallen. Lord, for those that are not exercising that they will consider walking. Lord, I praise you for our muscles that they do not have to be feeble or weak. Thank you for discipline that you give us to organize our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.
What kind of exercise and how can you add exercise in your life to honor God?
