By Hannah Ng’uni
Nutrition is a broad topic, can be complex, sensitive and at times controversial depending on who you are speaking to. But want stands true across the board is that we all want to be well and live healthy lives and good nutrition is key to maintaining good health. Food is fuel for the body but in the same way that putting the wrong fuel in a car damages the engine with costly implications, putting the wrong food in our body can cause ill health with effects on quality-of-life overtime. Exercise is also an essential part of good health.
A recurring thought crosses my mind as I reflect on my Christian journey thus far and the different churches I have followed in recent years, ‘how come we do not talk much about nutrition?’. We are quick to pray away the conditions linked to diet e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes etc but not address what we eat. This is not a criticism at all, just an observation and I am sure there are many reasons for this that would make for an interesting discussion another day.
The Lord wants me well.
What has become apparent on this journey is that the Lord cares about every aspect of our lives and desires for us to be well in spirit, soul, and body. It is not the Lord’s will for us to be unwell, in the Gospels we read how Jesus went about healing all sicknesses and diseases (Matthew 4:23, 9:35). Some people believe Jesus put sickness on them, if that were the case, why would He go around healing? How can you want someone sick and well at the same time? That belief is not in line with the person of Jesus. Because He is faithful and remains the same (Hebrews 13:8), we can conclude that sickness if not from Him and He heals even today because He wants us well. Amen somebody!
Spiritual and physical health.
Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually]. 3 John 1:2 AMP
This was John’s prayer for Gaius, one commentary suggests John “affirms that Gaius is indeed well off spiritually, and he prays that Gaius’ physical health would match his spiritual health”(W. Hall Harris III, 2004)
So, is it possible to be spiritually healthy but physically (nutritionally) unhealthy? Yes, I believe so. Somehow, we separate the two or not pay as much attention to our physical health, I have been convicted of this during prayer. Another commentary interestingly stated that “many Christians would be desperately ill if their physical health was instantly in the same state as their spiritual health” (David Guzik, 2018), wow! A ‘selah’ moment right there. Let us prosper in our spiritual and physical health.
My desire is for us as believers to have an awareness of what we are putting in our body and how it would affect us short term or long term. To make healthy eating a lifestyle not just a ‘once-in-a-while’ option. My desire is for us to experience all round wellness – spirit, soul and body.
In the next post, we will discuss health and purpose. God bless
