“The peace of God”

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be thankful.

Verse Reflections:   Peace is what I need. Stress is not my friend when I choose foods. God has given us the gift of peace, a peace that intertwines God’s body into one with ours.  How does that change my interpretation of my body if I think of God’s body being mine?  We are literally called to have this peace that combines our bodies into one with God Himself!  All of my self-chastisement, my anger at the lack of perfection, my desire to avoid mirrors becomes ridiculous and almost irreverent.  God has honored my body by joining His with mine.  Shouldn’t I also honor Him by celebrating my body?  Shouldn’t I be peaceful, hopeful, joyful and thankful for my body.  It is fascinating that the Bible adds this tip on the end… be thankful.  We should be peaceful and thankful.  Today, we should eliminate that edgy self-recrimination behind.  Just tuck it into the bed as you are making it up this morning or better yet flush it down the toilet.  Let it go.  Celebrate our gorgeous bodies that reflect the image of Christ.  Our body is Christ’s body.  Look in the mirror, tell yourself and God that you both look awesome and then let the peace of God rule in your hearts.  Eliminate the stress that makes you reach for the carbugers.  Added sugar increase our blood sugar which provides a burst of energy and serotonin.  Serotonin is the hormone that makes us feel good.  This is natural.  I firmly believe that God gave us the “plus one” so that we do not have to indulge in guilt if we do need a quick fix.  It is okay and we do not need to shame ourselves when we indulge in a sweet or carb craving.  Just stay peaceful and enjoy your treat.  Be thankful that you do not have to criticize yourself just because you indulge.  The amazing news about eating God foods is that your cravings will become less and less so that a treat becomes just a treat not a way of life.  Today we will celebrate our bodies.  Our body is also the body of Christ.  We will eat His foods and be thankful.

Prayer:  Father, this is a powerful thought for me, that Your body is also my body.  I have taken communion so many times, eaten the bread and repeated “This is my body, take and eat in remembrance of me.” I have drunk the grape juice and repeated, “This is my blood, drink in remembrance of me.”  And yet, not once, Lord have I thought of Your body as being intertwined into mine.  Lord, I want to look down at my stomach and celebrate “our stomach”.  I want to look in the mirror today and celebrate every part of our body and be thankful.  This will require a twist on the way I look at myself.  Will You send Your power into my mind?  I want to be thankful as You have requested.  I want the peace You promise me.  I have to admit that I have twisted my ridiculous thoughts and I criticize “our” body more than I compliment it.  I chastise myself every time I eat something “bad” which makes me anxious.  I am on a hamster wheel of eating, chastising myself, criticizing myself, creating anxiety and then eating to relieve my anxiety.  Go figure.  I need Your help.  I can’t criticize You so this verse is very helpful.  Let’s celebrate our beautiful bodies today as You crave the beautiful foods You created.  And yet, You give us a plus one that we can enjoy with no guilt, no anxiety, no criticism.  Yes!!  I can live like this.  I love You so much.  Thank You for knowing me well enough to create this verse for us to live here in this world together in a physically and mentally healthy way.  I am going to celebrate us and our beautiful, intertwined body together today.