Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2
Good health is not only a physical necessity but also a spiritual responsibility that is given to every human being by the creator. Without good health, one will struggle to do the great commission work of Jesus Christ. Our health should always be our priority. We are first and foremost, stewards of our physical bodies.
The human body is a gift from God. It needs to be managed properly. The way we treat our physical bodies is our gift back to God. With cancer, Covid, heart disease, and many other serious illnesses on the rise, we owe it to ourselves to be as spiritually determined to minister to our health as we are about praying, worshiping, and spreading the gospel.
Unfortunately, many Christians do not think of their health as a spiritual priority. Yet, good health is a form of worship. It is also one of the most important ministries given to us as ambassadors of Christ. Yes, we are spiritual beings having a physical experience. The Bible does say to prioritize the spiritual over the physical. But it does not say we should neglect our health.
In today’s text, the writer is praying for believers to be as prosperous in their health as they are in their spiritual walk with the Lord. This is good theology. Good physical health and spiritual health are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, they are interconnected and interdependent.
The ministry of good health includes three main components. First, it requires physical exercise. Without physical exercise, the muscles weaken, and the blood does not circulate properly, thus paving the way for high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, obesity, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers, including colon, breast, and uterine cancers, osteoporosis, increased feelings of depression and anxiety. We can reduce the potential for getting any of these diseases drastically by just walking 30 minutes per day.
Secondly, the ministry of good health is grounded in a healthy diet. We are often reminded by nutritionists that we are what we eat. Amazingly, some people do not mind spending over $100K on a luxury automobile, or 1 million dollars for a luxurious house, yet give little to no attention to what they eat. In this age of social media and technology, there is no lack of information about a healthy diet. In addition to many cooking shows, there are countless recipes for healthy cooking on the internet everyone can access. Not eating healthy these days is a personal choice with dire consequences.
Thirdly, the ministry of good health includes spiritual awareness. Maintaining good health is a vital part of our spiritual journey. We can draw closer to God when we are healthier. Thus, I love doing prayer walks early in the morning. When I am walking and praying, I feel so connected to God and appreciative of God’s creation as I breathe His oxygen in my lungs. Every step I take and every exercise I do are part of my worship to God for the gift of life. Prayer walks are not only spiritually invigorating but also therapeutic. I often feel de-stressed and renewed during my prayer walks.
I realize some things are beyond our control. Some people do exercise and eat a healthy diet, yet they still get cancer or other diseases. The goal for good health is not necessarily long life, but a quality of life. None of us knows the length of our time on earth. But we all can make each day as enjoyable and pleasing as possible by ministering to our health fervently and effectually.
Questions for Personal Reflection
How would you rate yourself in the three areas of the ministry of good health?
What are some of the things you can do to improve the quality of your health?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, I thank you for the gift of life and the opportunity to live a healthy life? Please help me to prioritize good health and make it a spiritual necessity that is vital to my relationship with you. I pray for those who are struggling with their health. May you bring healing to the land and remind us of the benefits of living healthy.
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