What would you call someone who goes to sleep or goes on a long journey but leaves his house gates, doors and windows unsecured after raising his hands to the heavens to pray and decree that "all is well and all will be well!"
What would happen to such unsecured compound during his/her absence?
"Who would do a thing like that?" You may ask.
Well, who would fail to take proper care of his or her body?
The extent people go to secure their lives and property is commendable.
Some people live in fortresses; complete with twelve-foot high walls and electronically controlled steel and iron gates!
Nowadays, not only homes but offices and churches are secured behind high walls, iron bars and steel gates.
We take extra care to lock up our valuables in steel cabinets and safes.
Some people who can afford it ,do not venture outside or move around without being guarded by armed body guards and all sorts of "minders".
The Age we live in demands such extra care and security.
Surprisingly ,while some people employ adequate security for their lives and properties; they turn up their noses at any suggestions of relaxation and medical care.
All humans need healthy bodies to function effectively here on earth.
The human body is the covering and it is the vehicle which the Inner Man resides in and uses to operate on Earth.
When the body is destroyed , the human being bids farewell to this world.
We are Custodians of our bodies which were wonderfully made by the Creator so that we can express his will here on earth through our soul and spirit which reside in our bodies . Romans 6:13.
When we yield our earthly vehicles or our members to Him , they should be in top form ; not only spiritually but also physically.
Often we forget to "listen" to our bodies and we fail to pay attention to the fact that caring for the human body is as important as feeding our human minds and spirits.
When did you last find time to stand before a mirror and take a good look at your body ; checking every inch from your hair to your toes?
Our bodies do speak to us; sending warning signals when we are not treating our bodies right. They give us commendation signals when we are in top form.
Just the same way as we receive messages from our minds (soul) and spirit.
When our bodies are not in top form , we can tell.
But knowing something and doing something about it ,are two different issues.
Apart from the regular outward dressing up , cosmetic grooming and preening; our bodies also need regular exercise, a daily healthy intake of good food and drink; and regular medical check-ups.
Prolonged " spiritual exercises" like fasting , praying, darting non-stop, from one corner of the world to another, north to east; west to north , preaching the Gospel and doing great exploits for our God are glorious pursuits.
But if and when done in excess ,they take their toll on any human body.
While we hold on to the promise in Isaiah 40: 29-31; we should not forget that God created days of rest for our bodies. Occasional periods of rest is our just reward.
For some people , doing stuff like taking a holiday to relax is inconceivable.
They would argue that one should " not give room to Satan by embracing infirmities and engaging in sinful pastimes of worldliness, laziness, hedonism and the pride of life!".
However, many destinies have been derailed and truncated by avoidable diseases and death.
Millions are suffering from ill-health and millions have died due to careless use of their God-given bodies.
Ignorance, heretic doctrines and poverty are taking their toll on human bodies and lives.
There is a finality about dead bodies .
Broken,diseased or dead bodies are like broken down vehicles which are stagnant and are of no use to anybody. They cannot and do not glorify God.
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence". Psalm 115:17.
Men are more unwilling than women to pay attention to their bodies and general health.
Early this month , I was distraught to hear that a beloved man of God and one of my Fathers in the Lord, collapsed as he was leaving home to honour a preaching engagement.
Those of us who know him and his hectic and tight schedule, knew that he collapsed simply because his body succumbed to sheer exhaustion !
But not so, for some people.Even in his church, gossips called him all sorts of names and cited all sorts of suspicions as reasons for his fainting fit.
While outside the Church ,God's enemies had a field day boasting about bringing him down by "releasing incantations and enchantments" into the crusade venue!
Now, he has agreed, at last, to cancel all his engagements and come to the U.K., for a well-deserved one-month holiday.
Hopefully , he will consent to complete rest and medical attention during his holiday. Thank God he didn't die.
In the past, Satan and his agents have been heard thumping their chests and boasting ("We got him " or "We got her"!) ; whenever they heard of the sudden death of servants of the living God .
May God deliver His Church from every thing which will bring reproach to His name . Amen.
Thank God for Divine health which encompasses both our physical and spiritual well-being. This is our portion , as Believers.
God knew that at a point in our lives , we would need healing in our physical bodies. He has made provisions for our healing by giving us His Word as well as giving knowledge and power to researchers and physicians to recognise and use the proper herbs , chemicals and technologies for producing remarkable medications and other inventions to aid our healings and deliverance from numerous diseases and infirmities.
There are diverse reasons and causes ; (spiritual, emotional and physiological and viral infections); for the variety of ailments and infirmities which plague the human body and mind.
Just as there are different types of ailments and afflictions ,so there are different types of healings for them.
Healings for some of these diseases could be, solely, by spiritual or faith healing .
"Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting". Matthew 17:21
While some others would require the application of both faith healing and medical science.
Neglecting our bodies, rejecting faith healing and medical science are the same attitude as going on a long journey and failing to secure our homes and our valuables !
Then, we would give the Thief ample opportunity to move in ; to steal , to kill and to destroy. John 10:10
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