WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Matthew 6:25-34
Proverbs 17:22

"A merry heart doeth
good like a medicine…"

A SANCTIFIED BODY (4)

Sanctified Feet: Our feet are the Lord’s. We must keep them from places of temptations and worldly pleasures. May God use our feet to go where He wants us to go for His glory. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom 10:15).

Sanctified Hair, Skin, Clothing and Adornments: Our bodies are the Lord’s. We must keep them from worldly styles. We must not have any tattoos, cuttings or marks on our bodies (Lev 19:28). Our clothings must have the mark of meekness and godliness (1 Tim 2:9).

Sanctified Health and Appetites: We must take care of our bodies and nurture them with healthy food and drink, with moderation and natural rest. We must abstain from alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, addictive stuff, or food stuff with harmful chemicals. We must eat and drink for God’s glory (1 Cor 10:31). Sometimes, because of the Lord’s work or exams, we may have to stay up late, but not for a TV programme or to push ourselves for worldly fame and gain. To keep our bodies healthy, we have to rejoice in the Lord and keep our heart from anger, bitterness, worries, stress, vengeance, malice, an unforgiving spirit, sorrow, etc. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Prov 17:22).

Proper Attitudes in Illness: God may use illness to keep us humble (2 Cor 12:7-9), to chastise us (1 Cor 11:29-30), to refine us (Job 2:4-8; 23:10), to prevent us from doing our own plans (Acts 9:1-18), or to call us home to Heaven (2 Kings 13:14). Thus, we must not judge others in their illness, but pray for them and for God’s will to be done. In illness, we ought to trust in God’s sovereignty and loving care (Matt 10:29-31), examine ourselves in repentance (James 5:16), seek God first in prayer before seeking the doctor (2 Chron 16:12; Matt 6:33), commit ourselves to God, trusting that He Himself is able to heal us directly or to use doctors and medical treatment to cure us, and then be ready to meet the Lord when He calls us home.

THOUGHT: A holy and merry heart is good for my physical health.
PRAYER: Lord, keep me holy and happy in Thee in all situations.