Psalms 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
This passage of scripture teaches us that God is not only interested in our health, but that He also takes proactive measures to make it a reality. The passage also rightly states that the forgiveness of our iniquities is part and parcel of the entire package of overall health and wellness, and thus it is important for us to do our part in facilitating the good work that is ongoing in our hearts and lives. Diet, proper rest, and sufficient physical exercise are key to making this happen, and all three aspects of wellness should be closely studied and adopted by us as Christians, to the best of our knowledge and ability.
We begin with diet as being one of the primary issues pertaining to health, one which is given too little attention by most of us, sometimes until it is too late, when decay and disease have begun to take their toll on our health. Proper diet for most of us will consist of the judicious use of the best of wholesome food and drink, and dispensing with all that is harmful. In the beginning God ordained that fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains should be the sources of our food, for when they are used temperately all of our nutrient needs can be amply supplied.
The use of flesh foods was later permitted by God after the flood, when all of the vegetation had been destroyed in the deluge, yet it never was His ideal will, and it never will be, for it is the cause of many diseases and cancers which are afflicting the human family. The diseases of the Egyptians so often referenced in the Bible, stemmed primarily from their diet which relied heavily on the consumption of flesh foods, and recent discoveries and investigations into the deaths of many of the pharaohs, show that cancers, diabetes, and heart disease were the common causes of early demise in many of them. Let's read:
Exodus 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
It is worthy of note that God then responded to this complaint by promising them bread, not flesh foods, so that they could be enabled to cooperate with Him in the work of restoring their bodies to health. The ways of God and His dealings with the children of men must be closely observed, for it is through these providences that we are often enabled to read correctly, His good will for our lives. Let's read:
Exodus 16:4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
But diet is not the only aspect of healthful living for us to consider, for proper rest and sufficient exercise are also main contributors to our overall well-being. A good night's rest has more to do with weight loss than many of us realize, and while millions of health enthusiasts focus on the issues of diet and exercise, many of us stay up late at night, being entranced by the one-eyed monster. Staying up late, or not getting sufficient rest goes a very long way in reversing the benefits that can accrue from proper diet and exercise, and therefore it is one of the areas in which serious change and reform is needed. Let's read:
Psalms 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
One of the bad side effects of our modern era is that many of us work at sedentary jobs all day long, not being exposed to the sun and fresh air, and therefore it is mandatory that we get some form of physical exercise each day to offset the lack thereof, on account of our work. Even half an hour to forty five minutes of rigorous to medium level exercise will do us a whole lot of good, and will go a very long way in staving off many of the ills and diseases with which so many of us are plagued. Exercise unclogs our pores as we sweat, and poisons are thus excreted. It also helps to keep our bodies well toned so that degeneration which sets in at thirty to fifty years of age can be delayed for very many years.
The notion that as we get older we are supposed to have a lesser quality of life is without any scriptural or scientific merit, for it is possible for us to greatly prolong our days on the earth by cooperating with God on the issue of health. There is something such as dying prematurely, and thus the question to be answered by us is, why should we die at forty or fifty, if by the grace of God, and good health practices we can live to 120 or 140 years of age? Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
In our day it is still possible to enjoy good length of days and a good quality of healthful living, by trusting in God and cooperating with Him in the preservation of our minds and bodies. Diet, rest, and exercise, when incorporated into daily living will do us a world of good, both spiritually and physically, and for this reason we end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to glorify God in our bodies and in our spirit which have been purchased with the priceless blood of The Son of God. Let's read:
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!