Dazzling, radiant health is what we all desire. It's called "shalom" in Hebrew, meaning: peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, tranquility and prosperity. It envelops our physical bodies as well as our mental and spiritual well-being.
I love delving into the Hebrew meaning of words. A rich depth is uncovered that was previously invisible. The Hebrew word for "heal" is "rapha". When you replace the last letter of heal with the Hebrew letter "hei" (meaning Grace or the essence of Jesus), you get the word "relax, or let go, be still" (raphah). He brings us true "rest" which is the foundation for health. Also interestingly, the Hebrew word "rophe" also comes from the same root word (rapha) and means "doctor", or to cure, cause to heal, repair or to make whole.
We know that our health is maintained with good nutrition, exercise, chiropractic care and quality sleep. And we've learned from scientific research that stress causes inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation is the cause of most of our illnesses, from arthritis to cardiovascular disease. But now we've discovered that our response to stress is a key to wholeness. We can respond with anxiety and fear, or we can respond with rest and relaxation in the Lord. He created our bodies with complex designs that we are just beginning to understand through science. It is natural that we should learn how to trust the Master Designer. When stressed: take time out to be still in the Lord, rest and relax, let go of what's troubling you. This is step one in becoming healthy.
Rest is simply trusting and believing that Jesus will take care of you in every way. Do you remember seeing the "trust exercise" years ago? One person would close their eyes, fold their hands over their chest, and fall backwards into the waiting arms of a few people This exercise is difficult for many of us. But it's a good picture of how we should trust God and rest in His Presence.
I recently went on a treasure hunt, searching for Scriptures that related to health. The question I asked was, "What else does God say about how to obtain health?" I gathered a small group of Scriptures here, only covering a portion of the Psalms and the book of Proverbs. I thought it might be enlightening to list them, and they are paraphrased below.
Find God - Listen, follow, be wise, watchful and be patient. Whoever finds God, finds life. (Proverbs 8:33-36)
Seek and know God's Word - Listen closely, keep them in your sight, keep them within your heart. God's Word is life and health to your whole body. (Proverbs 4:20-22)
Guard your heart - Your heart is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Seek a peaceful heart - A heart at peace gives life to the body. (Proverbs 14:30)
Have a cheerful heart - The cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15)
Smile and share positive news - A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30)
Speak pleasant words - Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24) The soothing tongue is a tree of life. (Proverbs 15:4)
As we meditate on God's Word, we renew our minds. Transformation from illness to health happens by renewing our minds daily (Romans 12:2). As we ponder and contemplate God's goodness, we begin to reflect His image. We begin to be transformed into His likeness of peace and wholeness. This is the essence of Sparkling Health!