Lowered

Jesus uttered His last words and yielded up His spirit. By suffering on the cross, Jesus had paid the penalty we owe to God for our wrongdoings. With His body still on the cross and the Sabbath about to begin, two men performed a last act of service for Jesus before His resurrection. Joseph of Arimathea was a well-to-do, righteous man, a high-standing member of the Jewish Council, and a secret disciple of Jesus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who had sought Jesus out at night to talk to Him.

Joseph boldly obtained permission from Pilate to remove Jesus’ body form the cross and had purchased a linen cloth in which to wrap it. (Matthew 15:43-46) Nicodemus had gone out and bought a generous supply – over a hundred pounds (an amount typically used for a royal burial) – of myrrh and aloes. (John 19:39) Together they wrapped Jesus’ body with strips intermixed with the spices (the Jewish custom). These acts were done out of love for Jesus and the desire to honor and worship Him.

What would it have been like to listen to their conversation as they worked in the garden in the approaching darkness? (Or did they work in hasty silence for fear of the Jewish authorities?) As we often do when someone dies, did they share memories of Jesus, their reactions to His teaching and His miracles, and the events of Jesus’ last days? (I can just hear Nicodemus saying, “He told me things I had never heard before…”).

As Joseph and Nicodemus laid Jesus in Joseph’s new tomb, did they suspect that Jesus would not lay there very long? Did they believe that Jesus was who He said He was: God’s own Son? Did they fathom what Jesus had done for them: accomplished redemption for their sins? (And yours and mine!) Let us think on Jesus’ act of love for us as Good Friday and Easter draw near.

Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him (Jesus) down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock… Mark 15:46


When Joseph of Arimathea lowered Jesus’ body down from the cross, I imagine that he did it slowly and carefully. This is just how you should lower anything - be it a hand-held weight, a package, or your body – to get the most benefit to strengthen your muscles. Let me explain.

Let’s say you are holding a weight and want to do a bicep curl (bending and straightening your arms). As you bring the weight upward, you use the biceps muscles on the upper front of your arm. Those muscles have to work to overcome the downward pull of gravity. Lowering the weight is easier because gravity is pulling it downward. But, if you lower the dumbbell (or whatever weight you are using) slowly, you are also doing work to resist that pull of gravity. The muscle at work here is the triceps on the back of the upper arm. (In my classes I refer to them as the “troublesome triceps.”)

So in one exercise you can strengthen two muscles – the biceps and the triceps. That’s because our muscles act in pairs: one lifts and the other lowers. The same idea applies to other exercises, such as leg lifts, hamstring curls, knee extensions, push-ups, and squats. You can click on those exercises to see how they are done.

One way to pace yourself would be to count to three as you lift (or push yourself up for a push-up), pause and hold for two counts, and then count to six as you lower. Remember to breathe the entire time! Maintain correct alignment and engage the muscles of your core. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any kind of exercise program to make sure these are safe for you.

With time at a premium, why not do two things at once? Lower slowly and carefully to double the benefit of your exercise time investment. The result will be length and strength!

Photo credits: Creative Commons.org

The Arm of God

“They have an arm of flesh. We have the arm of God on our side.” This is what King Hezekiah told his people of Judah as they faced the imminent invasion by King Sennacherib of Assyria.

Hezekiah’s predecessor (Ahaz) had led everyone away from God and worshipped Baal and made sacrifices (including child sacrifices) to other gods. (2 Chronicles 28:1-4) But Hezekiah turned things around. He tore down those altars to false gods and cleaned out and re-consecrated the temple. He re-instituted worship, the giving of tithes and offerings, and the celebration of Passover. (2 Chronicles 29-30) So, when Sennacherib threatened to destroy them, Hezekiah encouraged the people to have faith in God: “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah, King of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 32:8)

Even so, Sennacherib’s army taunted “no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand…How much less will your God deliver you?” (2 Chronicles 32:15) King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah appealed to God in prayer. God sent an angel who destroyed the waiting enemy army, and Sennacherib returned in shame to his own land and was killed there. (2 Chronicles 32:21-21)

What “enemies” threaten you? Is it fear, worry, bitterness, selfishness, or (you fill in the blank)? Do you rely on the “arm of flesh” or the might of the one true God when you face fears? “His right hand and His holy arm have the victory for Him.” (Psalm 98:1) The “arm of the Lord” is a symbol of God’s power, and His power is stronger than any worldly threat you may encounter.

Just as Sennacherib made fun of God, your own thoughts or outside influences may try to discourage you from relying on God. Arm yourself by memorizing one or two favorite Bible verses. The Psalms in the Bible are full of encouraging verses. For example, Psalm 46:1 reads “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” I often think of Psalm 112:7 which describes someone who reverences God: “He (or she) will not fear evil tidings. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 23 is also very reassuring.

Do you know someone in the midst of a battle whom you could direct to the one true God for strength and deliverance? Trust in God and His mighty arm!

“Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help; you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)


You guessed it! This week we are going to work on arms, specifically the triceps muscles on the back of the upper arm. I call them the “troublesome triceps” because it seems like everyone dislikes their triceps and wants to tone up this area. Remember, muscles work in pairs. We did the biceps (on the front of the arm) a couple of weeks ago and you can review that one by clicking here. In general, the triceps tend to be weaker than the biceps. This week you will learn the “triceps kickback.” It can be done with or without a weight.

Here is the starting position: Put your left knee up on a bench or chair and hold onto it with your left hand for support. Hold the weight (if you are using one) in your right hand with your palm facing inward. Bend your arm 90 degrees so your upper arm is parallel to the floor. As shown in the photo at RIGHT, your back is also parallel to the floor. Pay attention to what your head is doing. You want it to be an extension of your spine. (In other words, don’t let it drop down.) Also, keep your shoulders pulled downward and your abdominals pulled in the whole time.

Now for the action. Slowly straighten your right arm so your lower arm presses back and your arm is now straight. The only joint that moves is your elbow. Keep your shoulders in place and your upper arm is going to stay parallel to the floor. Check to make sure that your wrist does not bend either. It might be helpful to do this one in front of a mirror at first to make sure you have correct form. You can exhale while you are pressing back. If you have any pain, stop, and if you are unsure about whether an exercise is appropriate for you, ask your physician.

Perform eight to twelve reps. Then switch direction and do the left arm. If you are just starting, it is fine to do this without a weight. Later, you can use various objects from around your home as weights.

You should strengthen your triceps two or three times per week, on the same days that you do the biceps. After a few weeks, you will notice that the back of your upper arm is firmer. That is a welcome change as the warmer weather approaches. Also, stronger triceps will help you with your grip strength, which we talked about last time. Add the tricep kickback exercise as part of your Length and Strength routine!