Welcome to Week Six of Commit to Live Fit! 40-Day Challenge.

 This Week’s Lenten Focus: Notice Your Posture

What is Lent? Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ – his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. [1]

Jesus loves it when we walk with holy confidence and humble dependence.

 For thus says the High and Lofty One
 who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
 “I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit…” –Isaiah 57:15

You’ll notice that the disciplines each week are easy to do, but just as easy to let go of. Lean in; engage with God as we take this journey. You carry the treasure of the Spirit of the Living God in you!  Ponder this week the power of God’s cleansing work in your life. He’s made you new! No spot or stain on you! Care for your physical and spiritual health in a way that honors God.

 Last Week’s Disciplines:
Nourish Your Body
Nourish Your Soul

This Week’s Disciplines:
Stand Tall
Bow Low

Physical Discipline: Stand Tall (practice good posture)

This week’s discipline is easy to do and doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it’s even easier to forget about and neglect. How do you practice good posture? It’s not hard at all. Right now sit up straight; pull your shoulders back, stretch your neck upright (like you’re trying to add a couple inches to your height, pull in your abs (imagine pulling your navel all the way in until it touches your spine). When you stand, think, ‘shoulders back and down, abs in, chest high, neck long – no slouching).  There are some great resources on posture available here.

We often slouch because we simply forget to stand up straight. But we sometimes slouch when we forget how important we are to God. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is this one: And so we know and rely on the love God has for us (1 John 4:16). When we continually identify ourselves as loved by God and made in His image, we more instinctively carry ourselves with a holy confidence; we more readily understand that the power displayed in our lives comes from the treasure within. Determine to walk in a manner worthy of His name. Carry yourself like the Heir you are!

Benefits of Good Posture:

  • Better for your frame (things are aligned; lessened stress on joints & muscles)
  • Easier to breathe
  • Makes you look 5-10 pounds lighter
  • Reminds you to carry yourself with holy confidence

 

Spiritual Discipline: Bow Low (humble yourself)

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -1 Peter 5:6-7

More important than standing up straight, is knowing when it’s time to bow low. All too often we get it backwards. We cower, buckle, and cover our heads when the enemy presses in hard to harass us. And when God moves in to correct or redirect, we tend to go rigid and tend to be un-teachable.

When the enemy presses in hard though our instinct is to cower, our call is to stand fast, raise our shield, point our sword, and trust the Lord.

And, when we approach the throne of Almighty God, our call is to come humbly, reverently, and thankfully, because He is the star-breathing God who gladly welcomes us into His presence. To me, nothing stirs up my faith like pausing before I pray and remembering once again who God is, and marveling that He invites me to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. I love to marvel, to stand in awe, and then to humbly bow, knowing that my life, my dreams, and my worries are all in in His hands. He is God Most High and I need Him every hour.

I encourage you to approach God with a new sense of reverence this week. I dare you to kneel or go face down on the floor, not in dread or fear or with a worm-like mentality, but with a humble regard for His love and greatness. Scripture says that God considers the humble, contrite heart a lofty place to inhabit. Think about that for a moment: our high and holy God considers our humble heart an honorable place to reside. We are blessed beyond measure, no?  For added measure, here are 7 questions to ask yourself this week when it comes to bowing low.

Stand up straight with holy confidence, and humbly bow with holy reverence – these are your two disciplines this week. I’ll be praying for you as you add these two important disciplines to your life: Stand Up Straight in Life & Bow Low Before God.

Let’s do this!

May you flourish in health, both physically and spiritually!

Jesus,

Help me to remember once again who I am to You, and who You are to me. I’m treasured beyond measure. I have every reason to walk and stand with a holy confidence because I belong to You! At yet, at the same time, I know that I’m nothing apart from you. I can accomplish no good thing unless You breathe life in and through my offering. And so I also bow low today. I open my hands and wait on You. Fill me afresh with the knowledge of You. Awaken my heart to live as one who is spoken for. I am Yours and You are mind. Your banner over me is Love. Thank you for this sacred, beautiful invitation to intimate fellowship. You lead. I will follow. Amen.

When are you most aware of your posture?  

What excites you the most about this week’s disciplines?