Two of Five

John 5:⁶ “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (NIV, emphasis added).

This is the same question God is putting before us today, “…Do you want to get well?” Would you be made whole? In your physical health, do you want to see metamorphosis for good? That is God’s question to you. It is one thing to like the idea of a healthy life, but it is another thing to actually want a healthy life. Do you want a healthy life? If you do, then pay attention to these five things – Eat, Move, Care, Sleep, Repeat. Managing your physical health is a spiritual discipline and proof that you are spiritually disciplined.

#1. Eat: Eat more. Eat more of the right things. Eat more at the right time. Eat less junk, the things you know are not healthy. In fact, eradicate it. It has been said that you are what you eat. Do you want a healthy life? Check the things you are eating. I am referring to physical food here not spiritual things. Check when you eat. If your metabolism is not high, then do not eat heavy food at ten 0’clock at night. If you want to be healthy, check what you eat. Eat the right things.

#2. Move: If you want to be healthy, move. Someone said and I agree that the human body was designed to move. So, if you do not have an active life, you are asking for trouble. You need to create movement in your life. You need to create movement in your body. Start exercising, even if you start small but just start. You can start with five minutes a day, and gradually increase it to ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes a day. It is non-negotiable. And when I say exercise, I am not talking about doing the extreme. Just exercise and keep your body moving and healthy. Keep moving! I read an article from Harvard medical school, and it stated that regular exercise helps to ward off nearly every degenerative disease including cognitive decline.

You may be saying, I hear you Pastor but show me in the Bible where Jesus exercised. Jesus did not exercise but Jesus did not have a car either. Jesus would walk from Samaria to Judea, do you know how long that distance is? For some of us, the distance between our homes and the neighbourhood supermarket is less than ten kilometres. But we still would not even want to walk. Imagine, if you choose to walk to the supermarket every time you need to get something. Some of us can actually walk to work because the office is less than ten kilometres from our house. Or perhaps cycle to the supermarket and to the office. Just do something. Jesus did not need to exercise because He was always active. He walked so much, He walked on water.

Prayer: Father, empower me to be more deliberate about planning my eating and exercising, in Jesus Name. Amen!