It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 118:8

- SEPTEMBER 6 -

FOCUS ON THE FINISHED WORK FOR DIVINE HEALTH

A lot of people think that the way to get health is to watch what they eat. For example, many
people say that the Mediterranean diet is a very healthy one. I agree, generally. But do you
know that the people whom Jesus healed were also on a Mediterranean diet? They did not
eat pork and prawns, for example, because they were Jews and these things are not kosher
for them.

I know that you want to walk in divine health. But God does not want your focus to be on
food—what to eat, what not to eat—or even exercise—how to exercise, when to exercise.
All these are natural means which the people of the world trust in. It is better to trust in the
Lord and His finished work, than to put your confidence in the latest man-made diet plans
and exercise regimes.

At the cross, Jesus took your sicknesses and carried your pains, and by His stripes you
were healed (see Isaiah 53:4–5). The Bible even tells us how to escape sickness and
premature death—by discerning the Lord’s body when we partake of the Lord’s Supper (see
1 Corinthians 11:29–30). But instead of focusing on these truths, many of us prefer to focus
on dieting and exercising.

Now, I am not against eating well or exercising. I myself exercise and I do watch what I eat.
For example, I don’t like to eat oily stuff because it makes me feel uncomfortable. And when
I have to preach, I do my best not to eat foods that make me burp!

But I eat generally healthy stuff not because I trust dieting to make me healthy. I exercise
not because I trust exercising to make me healthy. No, I trust the finished work of Christ to
make me healthy. I eat well because I like to feel good and I exercise because I enjoy the
rush, the sweat!

God wants you to be free when it comes to eating and exercising. Don’t make laws for
eating and exercising, and then trust these laws to give you “divine” health. Trust in the
finished work of Christ. Discern His body when you partake of the Holy Communion. And
just enjoy your food and workout!