An Introduction
Over the past few decades there has been an explosion of interest in health matters. It is as if people are asking the question why, with advancements in science, are people getting sicker and why many diseases that have been around for a long time are still incurable.
Every human being does not want to be sick, and once they become sick, they want to be well as quickly as possible. Medications are expensive and many cannot afford life-long prescriptions. Many books have been written to help avoid going to the doctor in the first place, by following this or that diet or programme, some of which contradict each other. Consequentially people are getting weary of the lack of definite answers and perhaps they might end up spending as much money on the books, diets, and programmes as they would have on drugs!
My challenge on this topic is, “Have we asked God?”! Some people may find this question weird, even among Christians, as they see religion as purely a spiritual experience unrelated to physical concerns. But we find in the very first chapter of the Bible, God telling Adam and Eve what they were to eat. Makes sense does it not. The maker of a car knows what fuel to put in it and how to keep the vehicle in top shape. Is it then surprising that God should have something to say about what we eat?
So what did He say? To our first parents, God said “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food”. Genesis 1:29. This is the original diet. Things that grow in the ground. And it is amazing how the number of people discovering the benefits of plant-based diets is increasing every year.
The desire of God for every human being is expressed in the words, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2. *MH 113.3.
Let it be made plain that the way of God's commandments is the way of life. God has established the laws of nature, but His laws are not arbitrary exactions. Every “Thou shalt not,” whether in physical or in moral law, implies a promise. If we obey it, blessing will attend our steps. God never forces us to do right, but He seeks to save us from the evil and lead us to the good.
*MH 114.2.
Many transgress the laws of health through ignorance, and they need instruction… The only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right principles. *MH 126/7.
The inspired writings go further to define disease, and how to recover and maintain Health & Wellbeing
How should we deal with disease In case of sickness:
1. The cause should be ascertained.
2. Unhealthful conditions should be changed.
3. Wrong habits corrected.
4. Then nature is to be assisted in her effort to expel impurities and to re-establish right conditions in the system. *MH 127.1
But what are these laws of health? Well, we’re not left to guess!
1. Pure air,
2. Sunlight,
3. Abstemiousness,
4. Rest,
5. Exercise,
6. Proper diet,
7. The use of water,
8. Trust in divine power
These are the true remedies.
*MH 127.3
These 8 simple remedies teach us to think seriously about what we ingest or expose ourselves to. Are we getting enough sleep, drinking enough water while avoiding coffee/tea/alcohol and other harmful substances, exercising regularly, eating from God’s garden, and keeping stress at bay by our trust in Him who made man and cares for him every day.
Hope you have enjoyed this introduction. More articles to follow as we expand this topic on health and wellbeing.
*MH – The Ministry of Healing, Ellen G. White 1905 edition