Stay as healthy as you can as long as you can

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Take care of yourself”

Our Bible verse for today: “In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill … Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what pleases you.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” 2 Kings 20:1;2

Our thought for today: “Stay as healthy as you can as long as you can”

I once read a story about a wealthy man whose health was rapidly failing. He was only in his early sixties but he had multiple lifestyle related health problems. He had spent his life as a hard-charging businessman. His focus had been on growing his businesses and making lots of money. He worked long hours under great pressure and he neglected his health, as well as his most important relationships, including his family and God.

Consequently, he had been divorced twice, he had broken and distant relationships with his adult children, and he had no relationship with God. Also, the older he got the more health problems he faced, until they became cascading. Now here he was still a relatively young man, very wealthy, but in rapidly failing health, alone, and desolate. At one point he cried out to his doctor, “I would gladly trade all my wealth for restored health and more years of life.” But his great wealth couldn’t reverse the damage he had done to himself.

King Hezekiah’s story turned out a little better than that. As the king he was wealthy and privileged beyond the wildest dreams of the average person. But still, when his health failed all his wealth, accomplishments, and privileges counted for little. What he wanted was more years of life but his wealth and earthly power couldn’t buy it for him. Fortunately for him, God healed him and granted him fifteen additional years.

When it comes to taking good care of ourselves physically, sometimes people shrug and say, “What’s the point? I’m going to die anyway.” Well, yes, that’s true, eventually we will all die anyway. But our goal should be to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible throughout every stage of life. Life is best when we are healthy enough to enjoy it.

As we age, our bodies begin to break down and fail. That’s just life. But at every stage of life there are things we can do to be as healthy as we can be at that age, and under the circumstances as they are. Tomorrow we will consider a simple and common-sense approach to staying as healthy as you can for as long as you can.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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