“Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding.” Since we are going to “incline” in this week’s exercise, these words from Proverbs 2:2 caught my eye. The Hebrew word for “heart” can sometimes be translated as “mind” or “intelligence,” and Proverbs 2 is about understanding God better.
The surrounding verses in Proverbs 2 are a series of “if” clauses. If you “receive my words and treasure my commands within you”, if you cry out for understanding and search for it as you would for valuable treasure, then you will “discern the fear of the Lord and Discover the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1, 3-5). “Receiving my words” means taking time to read and soak up and meditate on scripture verses (an excellent habit to start during Lent) and asking God to help you understand and apply them to your life situation. Verse four likens this pursuit to seeking for silver. If you had lost a silver bracelet, you wouldn’t give a cursory look and then give up. You would do a thorough search and not stop until you found it. We should have the same dedication and seriousness when “receiving” God’s Word.
Proverbs says that the reward for this search is knowledge of God. Paul, who, prior to becoming an apostle of Jesus Christ, was rich in worldly knowledge, position and opportunity, certainly valued knowing God through Jesus. Paul stated, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8a) In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as God’s wisdom: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30) Knowing Jesus is the key. By itself, studying the scriptures does not result in eternal life. Believing in Jesus Christ does. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
Soaking up and treasuring words in the Bible lead to faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and to understanding the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 2:5) This fear is not a feeling of being “scared.” The fear of the Lord is reverence and awe, a mixture of honor and respect for God. These verses promise that we will better understand God’s greatness, sovereignty, His mighty power, His compassion and love in sending His Son to die on the cross to give new life to you and me. (John 3:16) This knowledge of God leads to awe and reverence, to worship and praise, and to life lived with a new purpose. (2 Corinthians 5:15)During Lent, spend time in God’s Word. On Easter Day, the “Alleluias” will be heart-felt.
Now, to incline your body…
This week’s exercise- the “Incline”- is great for multi-tasking because it covers several areas: the hips, legs, back and abdominals. It strengthens your core (which helps your balance) and makes you aware of what each of your body parts are doing. Plus, you can do it lying on the floor. With all these advantages, let’s get started right away!
Lie on a mat or carpet with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor directly below your knees. (You may place your feet a little farther out if it is difficult to bend your knees to that angle.) Your legs should be hip-width apart and your knees should point toward the ceiling. Rest your arms on the floor at your sides and maintain the natural curvature of your spine. Take a couple of breaths and pull your shoulders downward, away from your ears.
Now slowly lift your hips upward off of the mat, keeping your hips level as you do this. Only lift your hips to a comfortable height. (Remember, you do not want any pain. If you have pain, stop!) You will feel the muscles in your back, the front of your thighs, and abdominal area at work.
Hold here and keep breathing normally. Squeeze your gluts (buttocks) and at the same time pull your navel inward toward your spine. (See the photo at right.) Keep your shoulders on the floor and maintain the normal curvature in your back (so it does not arch).
Hold this incline position for two good breaths and then slowly lower your hips back down to the mat. You may repeat this one or two times when you are starting and build up to ten “reps.” The Incline (also known as the “Bridge”) can be done every day. Remember to check with your healthcare provider before beginning any exercise program!
Here are some extra options to add variety and challenge: While holding your hips in the upper position, do some Pelvic Floor Exercises (“Kegels”). To add challenge to your core, you may extend one leg and hold (The hard part is to keep your hips level!), then return your foot to the mat. Repeat with the other leg. When you are lowering your hips, another method is to ease down gradually – one vertebra at a time. Pretend your spine is a string of pearls and you are lowering the string into a jewelry box one pearl at a time.
Once you master the technique, you can do this one while on the phone, watching tv, or just while resting your eyes. Doing the “Incline” will produce length and strength in the essential areas of your body!
Photos: Theen..'s photostream, health.lilithezine.com creative commons
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