Time for a Check-up

I went to the doctor for my annual check-up. I expected to skip in and out of there with the same glowing report as I always get. “Mrs. Elliott, you’re in great shape. I’m proud of your diligence on your treadmill every morning, your heart is strong, your eyes are bright, and you’re doing fine. See you next year.”

 Not so fast. This year, I should have left after the new nurse complimented me on looking much younger than my real age. But since I had paid my deductible, I stayed to hear what the doctor had to say. After the usual pleasantries, he started with, “Well, you’re overweight and you’d do well to lose about 8 pounds.” (What? How do I do that? I’ve never had to lose weight before. Do I even have the will-power?) “And your blood pressure is high,” he continued. (What? Isn’t high blood pressure an old person’s disease? What’s happening?) “And those pains you’re experiencing in your arms and lower back are nothing to x-ray. They are simply a sign of…” and then he had the nerve to say it, “…the fact that you are getting older.” Yikes.

Well, my doctor told me what to do, prescribed some stuff, scheduled some additional work, and a follow-up appointment. Now the ball is back in my court. Since (as my pastor says) the only disease I’m trying to catch is old age, I intend to be diligent about all the doctor has told me to do to keep my physical life healthy.

Through this I have noticed that it’s actually a lot easier to keep my spiritual life healthy. With my body, I now really have tons of things to think about like exercising, the types of food I ingest, my salt intake, drinking water, taking meds, and whether or not I’ve had too much caffeine. I have one thing to do spiritually – keep in touch with Jesus. God’s prescription is nothing I have to time or calculate. As long as I have my spiritual blue-tooth in my ear (which includes easy stuff like prayer, Bible study, and church attendance), He can buzz me when it’s time for some kind of action, and I can buzz Him when I need to check-in.

See your doctor and keep your body healthy, but don’t neglect your spiritual health.

Listen: Colossians 1:10 “…live a life worthy of the Lord and  …please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (NIV).”

Reflect: How will you live your life worthy of the Lord? How will you please Him in every way? What good fruit will your works bear? What plans do you have to grow in the knowledge of God?

Pray: Ask God to help you answer the questions above with specifics for your life.