The human body is an amazing creation from God Himself. It adjusts to human diseases and in many cases even heals itself. The liver, for instance, can regenerate new cells to keep healthy. It can also grow back, even if up to 90% has been removed. Our elastic skin is another amazing organ (Genesis 3:21; Job 10:10-11).
According to scientists and medical researchers, many illnesses cause our skin to stretch: obesity, cellulitis, hernias, Marfan and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, aging, lymph system cancers, congenital bone disorder, fragmentation and mineralization of elastin fibers, etc.
Our skin can stretch beyond its normal shape and size, and then healthy skin that retains hydration can return to normal after the cause of the stretching heals. This occurs because of two proteins that God also abundantly placed in our muscles as well as our bones – collogen, which constructs the skin, and elastin, which allows it to stretch.
God also provides foods in plenty for the health and healing of our skin. Eating anti-oxidant, non-toxic, and whole foods increases the growth of elastin and keep our skin healthy, especially: fatty fish, berries, leafy greens, citrus fruits, broccoli, green tea, almonds, and walnuts.
There are behaviors we humans partake in that destroy our flesh, such as: foods we eat, tattoos (Leviticus 19:28), alcoholic beverages (Provers 20:1), destructive negative emotions, addictive deeds, obesity (1 Corinthians 10:31), unrestrained and immoral activities and habits, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Timothy 3:1-9).
Many people go with the cultural flow and obsess over our skin’s condition. They rely on the charm and beauty that is only skin deep, and they forget that honoring the Lord with our life provides true beauty (Proverbs 31:30). Humans look at outer beauty, but the Lord looks on our inner beauty and character (1 Samuel 16:7).
Prayer:
Father God, we are amazed that You made our body as the temple of Your Holy Spirit. He takes up residence there once we are converted from sin, and we humble our self enough to look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith in You (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 10:4). Thank You for eventually transforming our human body into one like Jesus’ glorious, eternal body (Philippians 3:21).
Remind us that right now our body is the temple of Your Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We place before Your throne our unintentional human desires that defile this temple. We thank You for helping us to be free from the sins that so easily entice us, which break Your commandments and dishonor You. Thank You for healing so many of our diseases from the degradation of this world, and for protecting us from illnesses that would ordinarily invade our body.
Thought for the Day:
“Skin deep” denotes an exterior quality that is not as beneficial as the inner qualities that the Bible promotes and that are more essential and longer lasting than what we see on the outside of the body. Knowing God in a personal relationship and having His presence dwelling within us is a far better attainment than anything we can accomplish in the world that is merely “skin deep.”
