HANDING OVER OUR HEALTH
July 12, 2009Read: Colossians 3
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." --Colossians 3:23-24
A few years back, I read a great story from Max Lucado about 'giving God our boat'. He talked about how Peter and the others caught nothing until they surrendered the boat to Jesus. They turned over their jobs to the Lord and great things happened.
But we need to see all aspects of life as a boat to surrender, our health being one of them. For that to happen, we need to agree that being healthy is a matter of obedience and an opportunity to praise God. To accomplish this, we need to renew, recalibrate, respond.
Renew: See health and fitness differently each day. See it as a way to show thankfulness and praise. Recalibrate: Measure the day's events, working to make room for your responsibility of greater fitness. Respond: Commit. Get up and move, utilizing your God-given abilities and gifts to better serve him.
This week we will be looking at exercise differently than ever before. Do you see your health as merely a state of being? Is your view out of balance -- more self-centered than God-centered? Or maybe you're not training right now at all, and you easily excuse lack of activity against your busy schedule and responsibilities. Or perhaps you're simply ready to say, "Jesus, takeover my health. Renew my mind and help me respond each day with a commitment worthy of the gift of life you've given me."
Wherever you are in your fitness walk, this week's message is for you.
Remember, God formed us, gave us our bodies--how we take of them is our response.
--J.P.
PRAYFIT WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: "THIRD DAY"
With Thanksgiving a few days behind us, many want a fresh start -- a fitness resurrection, if you will. No better way to kick off the new week -- or any other "liberal" nutrition weekend -- than with an all-out high intense cardio session. This workout, which you can do outdoors or on a treadmill, will help you cut deep into all of the sugar and fat you stored away over the last few days, setting you back on course with a good sweat. Any takers? Give our Third Day workout a try and log your thoughts in your own PrayFit workout journal, or simply let us know what you think by clicking on comments below.
TREADMILL RUN Walk for 5 minutes Speed treadmill up to sprinting pace Sprint for 10 seconds, step off but keep the treadmill going. Rest 20 seconds. Sprint for 20 seconds, rest for 40 seconds Sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 60 seconds Rest for at least 1 minute and repeat the entire sequence 3-5 times (depending on how much pumpkin pie you had).
OUTDOOR RUN Walk for 10 seconds Sprint for 10 seconds Walk for 20 seconds Sprint for 10 seconds Walk for 30 seconds Sprint for 10 seconds Walk for 40 seconds Sprint for 10 seconds Walk for 50 seconds Sprint for 10 seconds Walk for 1 minute Sprint for 10 seconds Walk or rest for 2 minutes and repeat the entire sequence 3-5 times.
Originally posted 11/30/2009.
