¹²“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. ¹³“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. ¹⁵Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” ¹⁷But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. ¹⁸Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. ¹⁹Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
• Pay attention to your body as you breath.
• What tension do you feel?
• Send the breath to this place of tension, inviting the tension to leave your body.  Continue to send the breath to this place until you feel freedom from the tension.
• Name the freedom you feel?
• Allow the breath to carry this freedom through your body.
• Where does the freedom flow?
• Where is the Holy Spirit in this freedom?
• What is the Holy Spirit building in the temple within you?
• Is there a call to action?
• Give thanks to God for this time in prayer, reflecting upon the temple of the Holy Spirit within you.  Give thanks for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, January 15, 2012, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author.

Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD