This guest blog post was submitted by Dancer; Lisa Pellittiere – Maryland, USA.
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1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
The verses above are the ending statements of 1 Corinthians chapter 6, where Paul is making an argument against sexual immorality. In verse 15, he reminds us that our bodies are members of Christ. Following, in verses 16 and 17, he shows us what it means to be a member of Christ, “…For, as it is written, ‘The two shall become one flesh.’ But, he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” Paul is reminding us in these verses that we are both flesh and spirit. What we do with one affects the other. We cannot bind our flesh to something and think it will not impact us spiritually. We cannot continue to walk and grow in our relationship with the Lord if we choose to stay entangled with things of the flesh. This concept of flesh impacting spirit is not limited to Paul’s overarching argument in this chapter to flee sexual immorality. In verse 13, Paul uses the example of food, “’Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food’—and God will destroy both one and the other.” As humans, we need food for nourishment. But even this life giving sustenance and the body that requires it will be taken away, when it is no longer needed. The body– with it’s wants, needs, and desires—is ultimately temporary, whereas the spirit is eternal. What we do with the body, however, has eternal consequences as it relates to the growth of our spirit. Are the things we do with our body—our actions and the things we align ourselves with –helping to build up our spirit? — Stagnate our spirit? –Tear down our spirit?
As dancers for the Lord, we use our bodies to communicate in both the physical and the spiritual realms. Can our dance be effective when our body is not in line with our spirit and the Holy Spirit? I will say that in God’s grace, He has met me where I am and has used my dance before I had any knowledge of bringing my body or spirit in communion with Him. As I walk with Him, He opens my eyes little by little and I see that in order to continue to be effective in the ministry He has for me, there is work to do. My flesh must be disciplined under my spirit and my spirit must be in union with the Holy Spirit. All the work, in order to be successful, must be done in His might, not mine. Praise and glory be to God, the one who makes all things possible. Amen.
Dancer; Lisa Pellittiere
Maryland, USA
