Exodus 3:14: And GOD said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and HE said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. [King James translation]
John 6:32, 35: JESUS said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my FATHER who gives you the true bread from heaven.…”Then JESUS declared, “I am the bread of life….” [New International translation]
John 14:1, 6: “Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting GOD, now trust in me…. I am the Way---yes, and the Truth and the Life. No man can get to the FATHER except by means of ME….” [Living Bible translation]
1 Corinthians 6:19 Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the HOLY SPIRIT GOD gave you, and that HE lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you. [Living Bible translation]
BIBLICAL COMMENTS
GOD seeks relationship with you and me.
In Exodus 3:14, GOD doesn’t just state that “I AM,” but HE specifically instructs Moses to tell the children of Israel, “I AM hath sent me unto you.”
In the “I AM” sayings of JESUS in the book of John, JESUS also describes who HE is in terms of HIS relationship to you and me. For example, in John, chapter 6, JESUS explains that: “I AM [your] true bread from heaven.” In John 14, HE is saying: “I AM [your] WAY, [your] TRUTH and [your] LIFE.” In John 10:14, HE is saying: “I AM [your] gate for I AM the Gate.”
David understood the idea of living “in relationship,” in GOD, when David states, “THE LORD is my SHEPHERD.” See, Psalms 23.
This idea of living in relationship in GOD is further emphasized in the other “I AM” sayings of JESUS as wells as 1 Corinthians 6:19. All of these verses remind us that GOD seeks relationship with you and with me.
PARTNERING FOR HEALTH
Whatever our fitness goals might be, none of us need go it alone. We can all partner for health. There are partners everywhere! For example, WebMd, an online health information service has partnered with Healthy Child Healthy Worlds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of children from toxic environmental exposure, to create “Health e-Home.” Health e-Home provides tips and information about health and safe green living. Some of the topics on their interactive website include:
- Decoding Product Labels;
- 5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality;
- Safer Foods for a Healthier You;
- Going Green for the Holidays;
- Pots, Pans & Plastics: A Shopper’s Guide;
- 10 ways to Make Your Home Healthier;
- Safer Bug Spray: Natural Bug Repellents;
- Antibacterial Soup;
- Tips for an Eco friendly workout;
- Best Non-Toxic Ways to Clean Your Home.
See, www. webmd.com/health-ehome-9/about. In the third partnership article above, “Safer Foods for a Healthier You,” Matthew Hoffman, M.D. notes that according to FDA data some of the foods with the highest levels of pesticide residue include:
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet bell peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Imported grapes
- Spinach
- Lettuce
Dr. Hoffman states that one way to reduce exposure to high pesticide items is to buy organic. According to Dr. Hoffman, whether you buy organic or conventional, it is always best to reduce contamination of fresh food by pesticide or bacteria by:
- Always wash fresh produce thoroughly.
- Peeling produce reduces pesticide residue and bacteria, although it also can remove valuable nutrients.
See: “Safer Foods for a Healthier You,” by Matthew Hoffman, M.D., www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/pesticides-hormones-in-food. The article also discusses the pesticides, hormones and antibiotics in meat and milk and the risks posed especially to children.
You can find other partners for physical health at a gym (including trainers); at your church (e.g. exercise programs); and you can be a healthy partner to others in your home.
PARTNERING FOR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH
This Wednesday fellowship is a partnership ---a prayer, information and activities partnership. Every prayer counts. So, please keep praying—one for another! Every effort you make to improve your physical and spiritual health strengthens someone else---your family, your church and “the body of CHRIST.”
So, don’t get weary of well-doing! Every effort counts. We are all in this together! We are not alone. If we allow HIM to live in us, follow HIS WAY, HIS PATH, one day HE will say: “Well Done!” See, Matthew 25:21.
So, be faithful and be vigilant. And, BE BLESSED!
