The Gut: At the Center of it All

The gut or your stomach is a crucial part of your spiritual and physical health. I was never taught this in church or in a physical education class. Or maybe I just did not get it back then. But as I have gotten older it has become more and more apparent that our stomach is not called the core just because it is at the center of our bodies. But the gut is critical to both our physical bodies and spirit man. In John 7 and verse 38 Jesus said:

³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (KJV)

Why did Jesus say belly? Other translations say from the innermost while other say the heart. But in the King James Version it says belly. I believe God knows just how important our belly is to our overall health. But a course He does for He created us! But look at how intricate the belly is. The definition for belly includes stomach containing the bowels, womb, or gut to name a few. The bible says God created each of us in our mother’s womb, but more importantly He created first our innermost being. In Psalm 139:13 David says:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

And the Amplified Bible translation John 7:38 reads:

³⁸ He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”

Wow! The Lord is showing just how important the stomach or gut is and so much so that David calls out how God created his innermost being.

But when we take a closer look at the physical intricacies of the stomach we find an organ that really is putting in work. Specifically the gut requires the right balance of something called microbiome or bacteria. The gut has both good and bad bacteria. Some in the medical field are even calling the gut the second brain. According to this excerpt from an article by Dr. Axe-

“It’s been said by some researchers that up to 90 percent of all diseases can be traced in some way back to the gut and health of the microbiome. Believe it or not, your microbiome is home to trillions of microbes, diverse organisms that help govern nearly every function of the human body in some way. The importance of our gut microbiome cannot be overstated: Poor gut health can contribute to leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases and disorders like arthritis, dementia, heart disease, and cancer, while our health, fertility and longevity are also highly reliant on the balance of critters living within our guts.

Throughout our lives, we help shape our own microbiomes — plus they adapt to changes in our environment. For example, the foods you eat, how you sleep, the amount of bacteria you’re exposed to on a daily basis and the level of stress you live with all help establish the state of your microbiota.”

This may sound strange and far reaching to some. But both Percy, I, and one of our sons can attest to keeping the gut healthy is key to fighting off diseases including diabetes and the ability to have a clear and focused mind. And not to mention the increased energy levels.

But there is a sacrifice and that is being committed to eating right and may include adding supplements to your routine to help heal the gut from years of wrong eating and other environmental threats. Please check out our FB post to hear more about the gut and to find more resources on gut health in the comments!

Stay tuned for more information on the gut and taking control of your health by letting God lead the way!

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