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This Week’s Devotional Topic
GOOD HEALTH
Most of us are going through the annual process of evaluating this past year while setting goals and plans for the New Year ahead. Reality is that most, if not all of those objectives for 2020 could be under the heading of “Good Health”. Good health physically (of course) as well as good health financially, spiritually for your own heart, and those around the world. And healthy in all of those areas for your spouse, the family, even for those in leadership politically and especially for our Nation.
Another way of expressing our desires would be for Body, Soul & Spirit to be at peace! Let’s look at some passages of God’s word that will help us look more clearly at this valuable process.
One of the most notable passages is found in…
James 4:13-16 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
If you want God’s plans for the moments, hours, days, weeks, months and year to come, then just ask Him.
James 4:2 “…you have not because you ask not”.
James 1:5,6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
God has provided you with two very valuable tools. Think for a moment about prayer and fasting. Prayer is vital to our spiritual health!
Matthew 21:21,22 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
And the Holy Spirit is at work in our prayer lives.
Romans 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Fasting can also be a valuable way to seek God and His will. It is demonstrating to the Lord that you can do without food and other things but not without Him. As if to say that instead of time eating, I am spending time with you Lord seeking you. One example, a ‘case in point’ is found in Acts 10 where Cornelius fasted and prayed for four days, asking for direction. And God made His direction abundantly clear.
And as you consider your exercise routine, understand that you will reap what you sow. Just as spiritual exercise is vital to our relationship with God, physical exercise is vital to the health and well-being of our body. I see a vivid reminder of this concept every day as I take a walk with my 91 year old father. We do several exercises each day to keep him moving.
One of the important goals we should have for this coming year is to do more good works.
Galatians 6:9,10 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Every day we are blessed with, every breath and every heart beat are a gift from God. While you are considering priorities for each day and especially this new year ahead, seek His will, His plans, then yield yourself to the leading of His Holy Spirit. He will direct your steps. And be sure to have the perspective that He is coming soon. Be ready.
This week’s Scripture:
James 1:5,6; 4:2,13-16; Matthew 5:14-16; 21:21,22; Romans 8:26 and Galatians 6:9,10
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