A GUT FEELING

“Our gastrointestinal system (GI) makes up about 70% of our immune system, runs our metabolism and communicates with most of the other cells in our body. Some even refer to the gut as the ‘second brain,’” says Marvin Singh, M.D. (So, my second brain is my big belly?) What researchers are finding is that the healthier our gut, the healthier our mind. This is because the brain and gut communicate through nerves and hormones affecting the way our brain processes emotions and senses. Our gut also affects our entire cardiovascular system because the digestive system with trillions of microorganisms helps regulate the bacteria in our blood stream for our heart. (Who didn’t know that?)

In the Bible the gut is called the belly and has three definitions: the belly for food, the belly (womb) for babies and the belly the innermost part of man, the soul, heart, feelings, or the seat of inward life. “In the Old Testament, the “gut” was the spiritual center of man. The King James translates this area as “reins,” which in the Hebrew is “kilyah” and literally means “kidneys.” The Jews believed that “the seat of the will, emotions, mind and spiritual powers is often found in the general area of the gastro-intestinal tract.” Marvin Wilson (Jewish Roots of the Christian faith) The Greek word here for “reins” is “nephros,” which again literally means “kidneys.” Greek scholar W. E. Vines states, “The will and affections were regarded as having their seat in the kidneys.”

This ‘inner part’ called the belly, or gut, would be the same as reference to the heart, meaning a place of our feelings, soul, and emotions. Paul, an apostle, wrote clearly along this line in Ephesians 3:16-17, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” It is just a gut feeling.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus