August 6, 2024
Dear Friends,
They say that exercise is the single best thing for improving your physical health and wellness, which also impacts your mood and motivation, etc. Our modern life has us sitting around a lot more than in former generations, and so what once was obvious and taken for granted now needs to be said aloud: moving around is good for you. It is shocking, however, just how much of a difference it can make. I heard (don’t quote me on this) that adding regular exercise to your routine has a greater impact on life expectancy than quitting smoking. It’s kind of hard to believe.
It’s hard to believe and that makes it even harder to do. It’s already hard for simple reasons: what’s the last thing you want to do when you’re tired or feel unwell or find yourself huffing and puffing to get up the stairs? Add to that fact the challenge of believing that what is painful for the moment will make you feel better in the long run. And yet, this is an irrefutable fact.
Now, exercise isn’t a cure-all. It’s the single thing that makes the biggest impact, but it’s not everything. So, you’ll be healthier if you exercise, but smoking is still going to set you back. You’ll be healthier if you exercise, but that doesn’t mean that you can just eat as many Snickers bars as you’d like.
Time spent with God’s Word and in prayer works exactly the same way. First of all, it is the single best thing for improving your overall health. You are not just a body, but a body and a soul, and so it is not enough to care for your physical health. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36)?
Our life in this sinful world presents us with countless temptations to do anything but devote ourselves to God’s Word and pray, and so what should be obvious must be said aloud: “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD”(Deut. 8:3). It’s shocking, however, just how much of a difference it can make: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51). “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). That’s an amazing promise.
It’s hard to believe and that makes it even harder to do. It’s already hard for simple reasons: what’s the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling hopeless or anxious or distant from God or guilty? Add to that fact the challenge of believing that such a simple thing that takes time out of your day will heal you in the long run. And yet, it is an irrefutable fact.
Unlike exercise, time with God’s Word and in prayer is a cure-all. It is through his Word that God gives you his Spirit to live a holy life, to turn away from sin, to help and serve your neighbor. It is by the strength of his Word that you are equipped and energized to do everything that needs to be done in your life. It’s not just the single best thing you can do — it’s the absolute starting place for every other good thing you may do, including exercise.
On a completely different note, while I have you, VBS is underway! Many thanks to all who are making it a fruitful time for the kids! Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) for Pizza starting at 5:30pm. The kiddos will be busy with their normal activities while the rest of us can enjoy a meal together!
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Tuesday, August 6
5:30-7 pm – VBS
Wednesday, August 7
9:30 am – Chapel
10:00 am – Bible Study
5:30-7 pm – VBS & Pizza
7:00 pm – Vespers
Thursday, August 8
6:00 pm – Elders’ Meeting
7:00 pm – Council Meeting
Sunday, August 11
9:00 am – Divine Service
10:30 am – Bible Study & Sunday School Teacher Appreciation
Wednesday, August 14
9:30 am – Chapel
10:00 am – Bible Study
7:00 pm – Vespers