Health And Wellness From God's Perspective
The last article ended with the Apostle John's prayer in 3 John 1: 2:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.
Here we see that our physical well-being linked to our mental health. The Israelites under bondage in Egypt were in perfect physical health (Psalm 105:37)[1] . They lived in the land of Goshen separate from the Egyptians and had a diet that was also different from the Egyptians. They thrived so much that they were perceived to be a potential threat and so were oppressed. Even while they were enslaved, and attempts were made to kill all their male children, they still thrived. It is hard to say exactly what frame of mind they were in. We know that they did cry out to God for deliverance so one could assume that mentally they were in a less than ideal place.
One could ask the question, "Were they thriving because they were descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and thus were living under covenantal blessings?" That is a reasonable conclusion. They had not been given the laws of God yet. In their wilderness sojourning it would have been difficult to feed that amount of people conventionally, so God did it supernaturally with heavenly food, manna. Once they entered the promised-land where there was food in abundance, they were given specific laws that addressed every area of life on earth, including diet. I am not advocating a return to these laws. Rather, what I am advocating for, at the very least, is the mental admission that our health-related lifestyle choices and diets are part of "all our ways in which we should acknowledge Him so that He can direct our paths"[2] .
What are you saying? When the Israelites did not know any better and they lacked the necessary resources, our covenant-keeping God sovereignly and supernaturally blessed them materially, and also gave them good health. However, when they were in a position to feed and care for themselves, He gave them instructions as to how to do it in a sustainable manner. This understanding is important because saints and sinners alike are presumptuously living lives that are less than the ones that they are capable of living. We need good health in order to have the energy and longevity to fulfill our divinely- ordained destinies.
Let me be clearer: if we follow the advice given to us in James 1:5[3] we would seek God's wisdom and guidance so that we can live healthy lives. Maybe you have sought His guidance. It is my humble and sincere desire that this weblog would be instrumental in your pursuit of good health. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 in the King James Version sums up God's intent to us in the following way:
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Indeed, God wants to do a complete work in us. Yes, we who are spirits that possess souls and live in earthly bodies. Our spirits came from God and are the real "us" for which Jesus died. Our souls: our wills, intellects (minds) and emotions are interfaces between our spirits and our earth-suits, our bodies. True success and sustainability come when all three aspects are in alignment with the Creator's will for our lives. The issue is that our souls are inherently rebellious and self-driven [4].
It is well known that certain conditions run in families. There are a number of factors for this: genetic syndromes, epigenetic inheritance, generational curses, trans-generational lifestyle and dietary patterns, and even unhealthy thinking. We will address these factors in greater detail in other weblogs. Suffice it to say, if we are not intentional about our health and wellness our inherently rebellious souls will lead us to poor physical health nine out of ten times. Ultimately, if our bodies prosper as our souls prosper (3 John 1:2), we need to be intentional about renewing our minds, bringing our souls into subjection to God's truth.
In summary, this article's takeaway points are:
- God wants us to be in good health on all levels: spirit, soul and body.
- We may have been graciously and supernaturally protected in the past from bad dietary and lifestyle patterns.
- Sinners and saints alike are dying prematurely by not living and eating wisely and intentionally.
- We need to submit every area of our life to God including everything related to our health and wellness.
Looking forward to our next article!
References
- ^ Psalm 105:37, Saturday, March 28th 2020
- ^ Proverbs 3:5-6, Saturday, March 28th 2020
- ^ James 1:5, Saturday, March 28th 2020
- ^ Romans 8:7, Saturday, March 28th 2020
Disclaimer
The contents of article are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This article does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
#3: No Feeble One Among You - part 2
This is the second of three articles that addresses God's intent toward us where health and Wellness is concerned.