They need you

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Live long, live well”

Our Bible verse for today: “May the Lord bless you from Zion, so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life and will see your children’s children!” Psalm 128:5-6 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “They need you”

One of the greatest motivators for us to live long and to live well should be that our loved ones need us. Your spouse, children, grandchildren, friends, and church family need you to take care of yourself and to be around for a long time.

That’s the picture the Psalmist was painting for us in Psalm 128:5-6. That’s the prayer he was praying for those who would read his words – may you live long and well and may you live to see your children’s children (and perhaps their children’s children!)

As we have already learned over the previous month of devotionals on this subject, there are many good reasons for taking proper care of yourself. The first is the stewardship issue. Your body belongs to Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). He purchased your physical body to be a walking, talking, mobile temple of His Holy Spirit so He can then use you to help in His kingdom-building work on earth. Then there are all the additional benefits of simply feeling good and being physically able to do the things you love.

But another critical reason to take care of yourself and to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible is because your loved ones need you to. For one thing, if you are not healthy, those closest to you pay the price for that in a hundred different ways. And then, if you die younger than you should have, they must deal with the long-term grief associated with your death, and your children’s children don’t get to know you.

It can be painful to watch the older folks in our lives battle health issues related to ageing, but we also realize such issues come with ageing. But it especially grieves me to witness young and middle-aged adults who don’t take proper care of themselves. Either they don’t realize that the bill for that is coming due and soon they will begin to experience all the debilitating effects of neglected health or, if they do realize it, they deflect it and push the thought aside. Either way, loved ones will one day (perhaps soon) begin to experience the consequences of that person’s neglect of their own health. There is no way that can be God’s will. In the Bible we are taught to take proper care of ourselves.

The fact is that you are surrounded by people who love you and who need you to take care of yourself. That fact alone should be all the motivation we need to do everything we can do to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Your loved ones need you.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply