October 21, 2016 GOOD FOR THE BONES
Proverbs 3:7-8: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body; and refreshment to your bones.”
If you read then entire bible, you could not find one verse that gives bad advice or instruction. In the book of Proverbs you find nuggets of truth packed in just a few words and so often there is even a greater truth than the obvious truth of the verse. God, being our designer and creator, knows every minute detail of our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional makeup and He also designed the laws of cause and effect. Psalms 139 tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and that God weaved us in our mother’s womb! As much as has been learned about the human body, we have not yet uncovered the mysteries of how the non-physical (thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and beliefs) affects our physical bodies, but in the two brief verses above, we see that there is a relationship of the two. Most would agree that it is good advice to not be conceited or wise in our own eyes, and a good idea to turn away from evil, but we may miss the cause and effect aspect of our actions and beliefs. It may sound like a stretch for some, but fearing the Lord, being humble in spirit, and turning from evil has a positive effect on our physical and emotional health! The ‘fear’ of the Lord as used here is not being ‘afraid’ of God, but rather indicates a healthy respect and an acknowledgement of His lordship over our lives. It may sound like a contradiction to some, but it must be understand that this verse is not a promise that we will always be in perfect physical health if we carry out the instructions given in this verse. But, it does mean that if we adhere to the truth of this verse, we will generally experience better health than we would if we did not believe this verse. Even should we become ill, it is of great help to turn to the Lord and to trust Him in sickness, and even in our sickness, we can be emotionally healthy-and that in turn will aid in our physical recovery. The overall truth is that God desires that we enjoy good health, but even when we are ill, He can use it for our good. Much of the sickness we see today is brought on by the poor choices we make when it comes to diet and exercise as well as allowing undue stress to take its toll on us. In a practical sense, what we believe has a great bearing on our health; if, for example, we believe that it’s ok to over indulge in alcohol or food, we will surely suffer physically. By fearing the Lord, we will welcome His instructions for life that are found throughout the scriptures, and by doing so, we will enjoy greater health and wholeness. We are blessed when we have the seemingly simplistic belief that God is good, that He is faithful, and that He is the potter and we are the clay. May we truly have a healthy fear of the Lord that would keep us on the path of life that He has for us-if we do, we will be blessed.
Acts 2:28: “You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.”
Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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