Bodily Exercise

For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

An elder and experienced brother from Hong Kong came to fellowship with some brothers yesterday. On seeing some of us, he was burdened to speak on taking care of our physical health for the Lord's sake, though he originally intended to speak on the divine and mystical realm. His speaking, though down to earth, was to me the Lord's speaking. I need such a speaking lest I care less for physical health with the overemphasis on spiritual health. 

I have been quoting 1 Timothy 4:8 again and again to release my burden on the importance of exercising the human spirit with special emphasis on "godliness is profitable for all things." Every time I contrasted with the "bodily exercise," and hardly gave any important on physical exercise. Godliness will be of no use if the person who is godly is physically unwell or bedridden or die. For the expression of godliness, a healthy body is needed. In fact, the two are equally important. 

I was so enlightened to see this point from a brother's fellowship: The Lord has invested so much on you, saving you, working on you, training and perfecting you, for so many years. What if for health sake you die so soon? All the years of training and perfecting will be wasted!

He even cited a real life example of some useful brothers who died so young. Their usefulness have not really been utilized for health's sake. One crucial area of health care is a proper, normal, timely, and balanced diet. The food habit of Indians are not healthy in general. No wonder the general life span is very low. The serving ones in India should not be a victim of negligent or ignorant healthcare and die so young. 

That was a warning to me too. And I was freshly reminded of my need to take care of my health. In fact, it was a confirmation of what my wife has been reminding me over and over again. Generally, when the meal of my taste was cooked I tend to eat more, and that definitely was not healthy. My food habit needs "revival" too.

Besides the food habit, there is also a need for regular bodily exercise. This also has been neglected at least on my part. Though I used to do an evening walk with prayer, I have to do more exercise to keep my body healthy and strong for the Lord's interest. Definitely, I do not want to die prematurely because of ill health.

As much as I maintain my regular spiritual exercise, I have to do a regular bodily exercise as well. This time I was deeply convicted of my negligence in healthcare and looked to the Lord for grace to be able to care for my physical health as well. Perhaps, now I am still young and my real health condition has not been manifested yet. Before its too late, I better be wise, learn from the learned brothers, and heed to the Lord's speaking.

Bodily exercises does profit, thought a little. And that "little" can make all the differences in my service to the Lord.

My prayer these days has been, "Lord, grant me a strong spirit, a renewed mind filled with the mind of Christ, a transformed emotion that loves You, a subdued will that obeys You absolutely, and a healthy body to be able to serve You all the days of my life.

Lord, grace me a healthy body with a strong spirit.