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God’s Health Care Plan We have all heard about health care the last few weeks. Our politicians have been debating the type of health care we need and who is to provide it. One basic premise is that our health is important and we need to do the right things in order to have and maintain good health. This got me to thinking what the Bible says about good health. The first passage that came to mind is 2 Timothy 4.2-3, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.” The word sound comes from the Greek word hugiaino which is where we get the English word hygiene. It means to be healthy or to do that which produces good health. It used to be that teachers in school would teach young children to brush their teeth, wash their hands before eating, and to eat the right foods to feel good. Thus, they were talking about “good hygiene.” Exercise, rest, sleep, and other activities can promote good health. There is a correlation between doing the right things and feeling good. The same goes for us spiritually. If we want to be spiritually sound we must do the right things. We must eat the right spiritual food. Just as a person that eats a lot of “junk food” will have problems so it goes with us spiritually. “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (1 Peter 2.1). Junk foods are those things against the will of God. Malice means to do things with evil intent, guile is deceitfulness, hypocrisy is when a person pretends to be what they are not. In the case of being a Christian, they may say the right things but inwardly they are not striving to please God. Junk food can be addictive and appealing, but its end is the way of bad health. However, a person may not eat junk food and still be in poor health. That is because a person can starve to death if they eat nothing. The same is true spiritually. A person can starve their soul and die spiritually. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby is indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2.2-3). We are told to study and rightly divide the word of God, 2 Timothy 2.15. We are to add to our faith, 2 Peter 1.5, and to grow that we may eat of the meat of God’s word. “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5.14). A strong Christian is the product of God’s word and without it we will be weak, sickly, and in poor health. Exercise also contributes to good health. Most of us do not like exercise because it requires time and effort. But I always felt better when I was in a routine. Despite what some people believe good exercise does not have to be painful and/or life threatening. It does require consistency and longevity. You can not walk just one day a week and expect it to make much of a difference. The more days you walk the more effect it will have. Also, the longer you walk the more difference it makes with your body. The same goes for us spiritually. Paul said, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9.27). We must practice self control, Galatians 5.22, and not give into the temptations of the flesh and lust of the eyes. Once again this means we must study our Bible and put it into practice. I remember as a child going to the doctor and he would always look at our eyes, ears, nose, and throat. He would tell us to stick out our tongue and say AHHHH. The Bible talks about those very same things. During the days of Isaiah the people shut their eyes and ears so they would not see or hear the word of God, Isaiah ????. There are many passages in the Psalms that speaks of looking to God for understanding and aid in times of trials. What we see impacts our minds and thoughts. We are not to lust after a person or thing. We are to listen to the word of God and to words of instruction. We are to speak words of truth, and sing songs on praise to God. I haven’t quite figured out to work our nose into this lesson except to say that we are not to stick our nose into somebody else’s business, Once again I quote the Apostle Paul, “that you also aspire to lead about a quiet life, to mind our own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 Thessalonians 4.11). Good, sound health also depends on having a good heart. Some of
the above points promote a healthy heart. Exercise
gets the blood flowing and the heart rate elevated, and this helps our heart and
lungs. Eating the right things cuts
down on cholesterol and keeps our heart free from plague building up in our
hearts. But in this case we are also
told to seek God with our heart, Psalm 119.2; observe God’s law with our
heart, Psalm 119.34; to have a contrite heart, Psalm 51.17.
It is with our heart we are to serve God, Matthew 22.37ff.
A good heart is one that seeks the A good balance of rest and work is also important in staying
healthy. We are told to work out our
salvation in fear and trembling, Philippians 2.12.
This requires us to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, repent of our
sins, confess Jesus as the Son of God, be baptized for the remission of sins,
and to be faithful until death. We
are promised by God that He will give us rest.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest” (Matthew 11.28). The problem
the Hebrew writer mentioned in chapter 3 is that While the health debate rages around us we can all have good spiritual health and it really costs us very little. Jesus paid the premium for us and we simply have to do His will. So are you a part of God’s plan? If not, you need to get with the program today. – Dennis Tucker |