Contemplative Bible Reading

3 John, verse 2 (New Living Translation)

Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.

John is writing to his friend Gaius. John wishes a strong body—a body that is as strong as the spirit of God in Gaius.

I know people who have the spirit of God strong in them. They follow Christ daily and deeply in their lives. Their body, however, is weak and failing.

We live in a physical world. Our physical bodies move us about from place to place to meet this person or that person and show them Christ in our lives. When the body is failing, we don’t move about. We don’t meet as many persons. We don’t show Christ as much.

There are many ways that those who have strong spirits but weak bodies can still show Christ to others. Our virus year of 2020 showed how we can Zoom to meet others. We can use the old-fashioned method of writing letters and cards on paper with a pencil and love.

Still, a healthy body brings a smile face to face and a warm embrace of love.

Please God, give healthy bodies to the followers. Help us all to do the things we know we should do to keep our bodies well. Thank you for the gift of health. Let us cherish it as we should cherish all the gifts You give.