Meditations on Healthy Living

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying.
[New Living Bible translation]

Summary

There are some things the Bible tells us to never stop doing. In I Thessalonians 5: 16: 18 we are instructed to NEVER STOP PRAYING. Some of the various translations put it this way:

        • Pray without ceasing. [King James translation]
        • Pray continually. [New International translation]
        • Always keep on praying. [Living Bible Translation]
        • Pray constantly. [Revised Standard translation]
        • Pray at all times. [Good News translation]

The Bible provides a number of reasons when we should pray constantly, including the following:

        1. GOD hears. Unlike churches that are sometimes closed and unlike phones that can lose a signal or unlike people, whose phones are busy, we cannot reach, or “can’t pick up right now,” or may have “blocked calls,” or simply “are not answering,” we have a “GREAT HIGH PRIEST,” (Hebrews 4:14) who has gone to heaven to help us, and is always on duty and who we can “boldly” go to in our times of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
        2. GOD understands. JESUS, who is our GREAT HIGH PRIEST, understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15)
        3. GOD is a GOD of GRACE and MERCY. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to pray with “confidence” and “boldly” because our GREAT HIGH PRIEST will allow us to come before HIM and is willing to extend GRACE and MERCY in our times of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
        4. THE HOLY SPIRIT is WITH US. GOD has also sent THE HOLY SPIRIT, our COMFORTER to abide with us “forever,” when it seems others have forsaken us. (John 14:16) THE HOLY SPIRIT also helps us pray when we are too weak to pray and when we feel we “can’t find the right words” or “we don’t know how to pray.”
        5. THE HOLY SPIRIT helps us. THE HOLY SPIRIT steps in and intercedes for us “with groans” and non-verbal, spiritual, utterances, communicating and translating the requests of our heart to THE FATHER. (Romans 8:26-27)
        6. We CONNECT with GOD through Prayer. Prayer reaffirms our relationship with GOD. When we go to GOD we acknowledge HIM as our CREATOR, as OMNISCIENT, as OMNIPOTENT, and LORD. Like David in 2 Samuel 22:2-4, prayer is an acknowledgment that: “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my GOD, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge and my savior; THOU savest me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” GOD is our “real” shelter.
        7. Prayer Glorifies GOD. Prayer helps us refocus. Instead of it being all about “me” or “this nation” or “that nation” or whatever circumstance that troubles us, prayer is a time to remember “Our GOD in heaven.” Prayer is a time to pause, to relax, to let go, and to leave our burdens with GOD. (Psalms 55:22)

What happens when people pray? The Bible is full of examples! Women, who were called barren, have children. See Hannah (1 Samuel Chs 1, 2); Sarai (Genesis Ch.11, 21); Rebekah (Genesis Ch. 25); the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4); Elizabeth (Luke 1). GOD forgives.
See, David (2 Samuel 12:13); (Psalms 51). God Strengthens. See, Samuel (Judges 16:28); David (1 Samuel 30); JESUS (Luke 22: 41-43). And much more….

As the Living Bible translation states: Always keep praying, no matter what happens! If you have heard this before, some things are worth repeating!

Never Stop - Exercising

Although many people will talk about the benefits of exercise, many do not realize what happens when they stop exercising:

Gene Kim and Jessica Orwig provide a breakdown of what happens to the body when a person stops exercising. According to Kim and Orwig here is what happens:

Week 1: You're already less fit. You've lost about 5% of your "VO2 max" which means less oxygen is available to generate energy for muscles. If you could run a 5K in 20 minutes, your time is now about 10 seconds longer.

Weeks 2-3: You now have lost 12% of your VO2 max. There's a decrease in muscle strength and tissue. Your muscle cells have become smaller. Your fat cells are getting bigger. Your 5K time is now about 60 seconds longer.
Weeks 4-7: 12-15% loss in VO2 max. Your muscle cells are even smaller. You might feel bloated from growing fat cells. Your 5K time is now 3 minutes longer.

After 2 months: 26% loss in VO2 max. Just stop timing your 5K because it's depressing.

If you keep it up, you'll also be at greater risk of high blood pressure, high levels of fat in the blood, certain cardiovascular diseases, obesity, depression, and low self-esteem.

See, “What Happens to Your Body If You Stop Exercising, “ by Gene Kim and Jessica Orwig, January 234, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/your-body-when-you-stop-exercising-workout-health-fitness-2017-7

Never Stop Stretching

      1. Find a sturdy straight-back chair. Place your feet together in front of you so your thighs and knees are together and you are sitting up straight. Tuck in your gut and place your hands on the chair (holding along the edge in front close to your thighs) for support. Now keep your toes on the ground, take a deep breath and raise your heels straight up slowly as high as you can go. Pause. Then, as you exhale, lower your heels back to the floor in your start position. You should feel the stretch along with the back muscles of each leg. Repeat 4-5 times.
      2. In the same sturdy straight-back chair. Now place your heels on an angle of each chair leg so your toes and feet point toward the corners of your room at an angle. If you can, rest your heels along the front legs on each side of your chair, at an angle. This time rest your hands along the side of your chair for support. Now, with the breath, raise your heels, again keeping your toes on the ground. You should feel your hips opening slightly as you breathe in and then exhale out. Pause a moment at the top before returning to your start position. Again, these are gentle stretches. Point your knees up and out as your rise up. Try to relax your body as you exhale so your heels come back to their start position against each chair leg.
      3. In the same sturdy straight-back chair, place your feet about a little less than shoulder-width apart in a comfortable sitting position. Hold on to the side of your chair as you raise your right leg straight up, pointing your big toe straight in front of you about waist high. Image your big toe is a piece of chalk and start making circles. Try to increase the size of your circle without dropping your leg. Aim for 5-10 circles, then reverse your toe circles and do 5-10 more circles. Be sure you continue breathing in and out as you create your toe circles. Then switch to your left leg and left toe, repeating the same exercise on your left side. Try to maintain your posture and try not to hunch forwards. At the end of this exercise march in place in your chair (raising your feet straight up, while sitting) for about a minute. Then stand up, hold onto a counter and make circles with your waist—first one way and then the other. If you have balance problems, stay in your chair, holding onto the sides of your chair, and make your waist circles in a sitting position.

As always, if you have an injury, are concerned about safety, or have a medical condition, speak to your personal physician about what stretches are appropriate for you. If you experience dizziness, discontinue the exercise and again consult your physician. Drink water and stay hydrated.

DO YOU HAVE A NEVER-STOP LIST?

Some things are just not worth the risk of ever stopping. Some might include the following on the “Never Stop” list:

      1. We should NEVER stop learning. Albert Einstein said, “Once you stop learning you start dying.”
      2. We should NEVER be silent about injustice. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated:
        “Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere.” Elie Wiesel put it this way:
        “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must NEVER be a time when we fail to protest.” So, protest and support those who protest against injustice.
      3. We MUST love GOD with all our hearts and all our soul. Matthew 22:37 And, we should NEVER stop loving one another. John 13:34-35.
      4. And, NEVER stop praying.

Today and every day, NEVER stop celebrating GOD’s GOODNESS: THE GRACE of GOD; JESUS CHRIST’s SACRIFICE for us, GOD’s MERCY!

And, BE BLESSED.