Stiff and sore, I slowly got dressed as Meg laughed, “yo… GA… man!”

Last week Tim invited me and Meg to join him and Tamara in a 30 day yoga challenge called “Breathe“. I had never done any yoga. Honestly all I knew is that it involves stretches with weird names and, that naysayers claim, the devil is in those stretches! But we stopped listening to naysayers, the fearful, long ago. We know a deeper truth. God reigns over all. The Spirit can be the center of anything – even yoga.

So I went in expecting calm meditation. Moments to pray and think about God. Sure, I would be in weird poses, but it would be easy. Restful… cue Megan’s laughter.

The naysayers know nothing. For me there is no meditation in yoga. Only pain. Though she claims to be, Adriene ISN’T my friend. And every morning I awake stiff and sore.

But as my body limbers hopefully there will be moments of meditation. And here is where the fearful find concern. Adriene constantly speaks of listening to our bodies. She also encourages us to breathe, “Our breath is our anchor, our anchor is our breath.” Sound the alarms! Breath isn’t our anchor — Jesus is our anchor! Don’t listen to your body, listen to God! But this overreaction is driven by fear.

Step back and consider the truth in what Adriene teaches. Listen to your body. God gave us our body. Sometimes, before I am cognizant, my body reveals my stress. An upset stomach, a jaw stiff from clinching. If I listen to my body and ask, why does my jaw hurt? I may realize I am nervous about a meeting or… Adriene might stop with this knowledge or encourage planks. But we know MORE. We know the deeper truth and it is time to pray over what my body has revealed.

And consider to Adriene’s chant. Again, there is truth here. But we know MORE. The New Testament word for Spirit is πνεῦμα. A greek word that means wind or breath. In this knowledge, with each breath, we envision the Holy Spirit filling us. Each exhale, the Spirit moves to impact the world. The Spirit is our anchor! (Whether Adriene understands this or not!)

So we do not need to be one of the fearful. For that matter, it is against God to be fearful! To be driven by fear is to deny the truth of the resurrection. That all things are defeated. And all things are being placed under the rule of Jesus. Even death. Because we know MORE, we are called to live into the truth that God is ruler of ALL. And we can place God on the throne in every area! Even over yoga!

This is crucial as we consider the Great Commission. We are called to go and make disciples. We don’t hunker down. We don’t avoid. Instead we teach the world that God is Lord of ALL! Rather than denounce the valuable things the world has found, we teach the world the deeper truth. Sure, listen to your body. Definitely consider your breathing. But also acknowledge the Creator who made the body. Breathe in the Spirit who saves!

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Join us at Chandler as we continue the Lent Theme of Resurrection Life. This Sunday we look at Matthew and the Great Commission. Service begins at 10:30, in person with masks or streaming online.