Rules On The Road To Health

Rules On The Road To Health

God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law. Proverbs 28:9

I entered the exam room and shook Kevin’s hand. “It’s good to see you,” I said. “It’s been a while since you’ve been in.”

“Yeah, I know. I should have come back like you told me. But, you know, life happens, and I was busy.”

“Looking at your chart, I see you’ve been out of medication. You haven’t refilled your prescription in months.”

“Yeah, I know. When my prescription ran out, I just stopped refilling it.”

“Well, what brings you in today?” I asked.

“I’m having a hard time breathing. It seems like I’m always short of breath, even when I’m not exerting myself.”

Kevin’s complaints were common. Like most people with medical problems, staying healthy required work. In Kevin’s case, he had diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. To manage his diseases, he needed to do regular blood sugar and blood pressure checks. He needed to take his medications, follow a prescribed diet, and exercise regularly. But following all of those “rules” wasn’t enough. He also had to have regular lab work and visits with his doctor to make sure the prescribed treatment was keeping him on the path to physical health. If not, the health rules he lived by would need to be changed.

Unfortunately, Kevin hadn’t obeyed any of the rules he’d been given. As I examined him that day, I realized he was having a massive heart attack. He received immediate intervention to save his life and from that point forward had to follow the rules he had previously ignored. He knew that if he wanted to stay alive, he would have to respect these rules and follow them closely.

If you are driving down the highway and disregard the rules of the road, sooner or later you’ll have a major crash. Kevin nearly died because he hadn’t obeyed the medical advice he’d been given. In our spiritual lives, just like in medicine, noncompliance can lead to death. The laws of the road, the laws of medicine, and the laws of the Bible are there for our own good. Following them leads to health.

TODAY’S RX

Pay attention to the laws of life. They can keep you alive spiritually and physically.

Father, help me to be wise and live in compliance with your laws. I want to experience more of your glory.