Near the end of the second century, a bishop named Irenaeus wrote a classic Christian book from Lyons, a city in France. The book was called “Against Heresies.” In it Irenaeus uttered this wonderful phrase, “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

There is a great deal of meaning packed into these words. At the very least, Irenaeus is arguing for fully integrated Christian lives – lives that do not separate the spiritual from the material, as if God were only interested in our “spirits” but is unconcerned with our bodies or our emotions.

Pastor Bill Hybels, from Willow Creek Community Church, updated Irenaeus’ words by using the illustration of dashboard warning lights. Hybels said that most Christians pay attention to only one warning light on the dashboard – the spiritual warning light. So if you ask Christians about our relationship with God, we will often focus our attention on our devotional lives, whether we have sinned, and whether we have been experiencing God’s voice or God’s presence.

But there are other lights on the dashboard. There is the warning light of our bodies, the warning light of our emotions and the warning light of our relationships. Just because you are having great devotions doesn’t mean that your emotions or your body isn’t saying, “Danger, Maintenance Needed!”  Eventually, neglect of these other warning signals will lead to disaster in every realm, including the so-called “spiritual realm.”

To put it plainly, every part of our lives is “spiritual.” Everything – our emotions such as anger, fear, joy, anxiety, grief and sadness – is of interest to God.  Likewise, our blood pressure, pulse rate, body fat, tension headaches, sleep habits and aerobic fitness are also of interest to God. God is interested in our credit card debt, our reading and our television watching.

Many of you set goals at the start of the New Year, but why not consider a fresh start this spring? Consider how you can glorify God by becoming fully alive. Here are a few brief suggestions:

1. In the realm of your body (remember we are inescapably “bodily” since our eternal state is spent in resurrected bodies), consider:

• Partnering with a few friends or your small group in losing some excess weight.

• Joining a smoking cessation group.

• Joining a gym or sports league with a friend and hold each other accountable to go.

2. In the realm of your spirit, consider:

• Purchasing “The Book of Common Prayer” (Anglican) to assist you with your prayers, and “Search the Scriptures” (InterVarsity) to assist you with Bible study. (Both are available in our bookstore.)

• Being intentional about setting aside time to rest without distraction. Take a sabbath from technology to connect with God and loved ones.

3.  In the realm of your emotions, consider:

• Making a list of things that fuel you emotionally. God directed me to do this about 15 years ago. On my list were such things as taking walks with my wife, getting together with good friends, reading for pleasure not for purpose, and going to the gym. What is on your list?

The goal of Vineyard Columbus is to assist you in becoming fully alive. The best way to start is by joining one of our small groups. Small groups are a place for people to grow in their relationship with Jesus and develop authentic friendships. You can find a small group by checking out the small group area at your campus or by using our small group finder online.

We also have Support for Life Groups that consist of people with common experiences and concerns who provide emotional, spiritual and moral support for one another. Care for yourself physically and emotionally by joining one of these groups. You can find out about these groups by picking up a Support for Life Group booklet at one of our services or visiting our website.

Why not commit to glorifying God this spring by becoming “fully alive”?

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