Maintaining Good Health
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Brother Felmar Serreno: Things like regular physical exercise and a well-balanced diet are good for us, but is this all it takes to be truly healthy? Hi there, you’re listening to the podcast version of God’s Message Magazine, where today’s topic is: Maintaining Good Health.
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Brother Felmar Serreno: The current pandemic has driven home the reality that the human body is so susceptible to being afflicted with any of a multitude of possible illnesses. Hundreds of millions of people have contracted the coronavirus, and even though many have recovered, sadly, it has also claimed millions of lives.
Even though it is improbable to make one’s way through life without contracting some kind of illness or experiencing health issues, we should strive to protect our whole being as best as possible, as admonished by the Bible:
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[1 Thessalonians 5:23 New Revised Standard Version]
Brother Felmar Serreno: One’s spirit, soul, and body should be kept sound or healthy as we await the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. Physically, a person must avoid everything that may harm his well-being, such as smoking, abusing alcohol and/or drugs, sleep deprivation, unhealthy diet, and the like.
With greater benefit
Brother Felmar Serreno: Physical exercise is crucial in maintaining good health, but what is more beneficial is spiritual exercise:
Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future.
[1 Timothy 4:8 Good News Bible]
Brother Felmar Serreno: An essential step in practicing spiritual exercise is recognizing that, no matter the effort one may exert in an attempt to preserve his life, longevity remains in the hands of God:
I, and I alone, am God; no other god is real. I kill and I give life, I wound and I heal, and no one can oppose what I do.
[Deuteronomy 32:39 Good News Bible]
Brother Felmar Serreno: This is why one should place his hope and trust in God, to gift him with a long or healthy life. If ever any servant of God does become sick, Apostle James taught what he should do:
Is there anyone who is sick? He should send for the church elders, who will pray for him and rub olive oil on him in the name of the Lord. This prayer made in faith will heal the sick person; the Lord will restore him to health, and the sins he has committed will be forgiven.
[James 5:14-15 Good News Bible]
Brother Felmar Serreno: Servants of God recognize Him as the greatest healer of all. That is, whenever Church members are sick, they pray to Him, and have the ministers or deacons or deaconesses anoint them with oil. It does not make it wrong, however, to consult with a doctor when one becomes sick:
Jesus heard them and answered, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick.’
[Matthew 9:12 Good News Bible]
Brother Felmar Serreno: But one should not make the mistake committed by a servant of God in the past who did not approach Him, but instead consulted only the physicians:
And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.
[II Chronicles 16:12 New King James Version]
Obeying God’s words
Brother Felmar Serreno: Apart from physical exercise, what does God teach His children to all the more do in order to maintain good health?
My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
[Proverbs 4:20-23 New King James Version]
Brother Felmar Serreno: The words of God give health and strength to our physical body and mind. If we fully abide by His commandments, then we will have peace of mind. But if we transgress His teachings, we will not find true contentment; we will experience troubles and worries. Having stress and anxieties all the time does not do a person any good. Such a person will be prone to various illnesses and will not find peace and wellness within himself. With God’s mercy, and our compliance to His commands, we can live a decent quality of life now, and look forward to eternal life at the appointed time.
For more articles like these, get your copy of God’s Message Magazine from a member of the Church Of Christ. You can listen and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and the INC Media mobile app. Thank you for listening. I’m Brother Felmar Serreno. God bless.
