GODLY HEALTH [ Step 01 : Understanding God's Design ] by Taia Colaitiniyara

What is health? According to Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary:

• Health is that state of an animal or living body, in which the parts are sound, well organized and disposed, and in which they all perform freely their natural functions. In this state the animal feels no pain. This word is applied also to plants.
• Sound state of the mind; natural vigour of faculties.
• Salvation or divine favour, or grace which cheers God's people. Psalms 43:5
• Wish of health and happiness; used in drinking. Come, love and health to all; an elliptical phrase, for, I wish health to you.

Notice what Mr Webster states: "... the parts are sound, well organized and disposed, and in which they all perform freely their natural functions." Good health, therefore, is when all the parts of the human being are working at optimal level. Life is void of unnecessary pain, suffering, and difficulties.

In his third epistle to the church, John writes, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2. The question is, how does one obtain a prosperous state of both the body and the soul? That is why I write today.

Men and women today experience a lot of health complications. The thinking men and women try their best to come up with solutions to these problems, building medical systems and practices, giant corporations and institutions to try and manage the ever-growing health concerns of this world. 

People are destroyed for lack of knowledge... Hosea 6:4. We see chaos running riot in the health of many human beings, but what is the best place to turn to for answers? From the little experience and knowledge I have, my answer is that we turn to God and the counsels that He gives through His messengers. God's way may be known upon earth, His saving health among all nations. Psalms 67:2.

The manufacturer of a car knows it inside out because he made it. The designer and builder of our very being, God, knows all its intricacies right down to the most minute detail of the smallest particle. If there's anyone to counsel us on how to have better health, it is Him.

Our Father in Heaven, how did you design us?

In the mind of the Great Builder, mankind was to be made in the image of God, after His likeness (Genesis 1:26). What do these phrases mean? The book of Genesis, written in the Aramaic language laid down many of the foundations of the Hebrew language. Let's go look at the original Aramaic words and their meanings.

• Image [ Aramaic : tsel-em ] : The Hebrew word "tsel" means "shadow" or "phantom" or simply put, ghost. Shadows are intangible but they are there nonetheless. Mankind was created to be the shadow of their Creator. Whatever an object does, the shadow will follow the exact same thing. But there was a provision made by God, and that is the freedom of choice. God desires voluntary service that springs forth from a heart that knows and appreciates his benevolence and justice. To be or not to be the image of God, is a choice that rests upon all human beings.
  
  
• Likeness [ Aramaic : dem-ooth' ] : Resemblance; concretely, model, shape; adverbially, like -- fashion, like (-ness, as), manner, similitude. In physical appearance, mankind took after God Himself. How amazing is that!

However, there is additional information given in Genesis chapter 2, where... the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7. God made and shaped our likeness from the dust of the ground.

How is the image formed? The living soul, also called the heart, or the mind of man, has to make the intelligent and voluntary choice to reflect the image of God. To all human beings, God gives an identity, full individuality and freedom to choose. The greatest of God's requirements are two commandments.

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:29-31)

When we take all these factors into account, the life of a complete human being is made up of four main parts:

1. The Physical Body [ Likeness, Dust ] 
   This acts as the housing facility of the whole being. It is a complex and intricate collection of systems, that when studied, shows the majestic power of God's wisdom. The Body was made as the Temple of God (1 Cor 3:16-17, 6:19-20) where the Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength is in submission to God. Think of it as the home of a Husband and Wife, where God/Christ is the Husband (Isaiah 54:5, Ephesians 5:23) and we are His bride.
   
   
2. The Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength [ Living Soul ]
   The Hebrew word for Heart is leb, which means core or centre, and so is kardia which is its Greek counterpart. Like the physical heart, God designed it to be the fountain of a man's life (Proverbs 4:23). It is the seat of thoughts, choice, will, reason, appetite, passions, and emotions. The vital force pumped by the human heart is called the psuchē, or Soul, which, in Greek stands for breath. In Greek, dianoia, or the Mind, is the Character and disposition of the heart e.g. let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). The Strength simply means, the will of man, and the power he has to make decisions and take action.
   
   
3. The Spirit of God [ Breath of Life ]
   Without God's breath in Adam's nostrils, the dust cannot come to life. The breath of God contains two things: physical breath and the Holy Ghost (Job 27:3, John 20:22). God designed the human body to house the fullness of His glory through His Spirit.
   
   
4. Relationship [ Love ]
   Love lifeblood of God, it is who He is, His character. It is the principle through which He governs the whole universe.  In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which “seeketh not her own” has its source in the heart of God; and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto. (Desire of Ages, p. 19) For the good of the whole universe, mankind must, by their freewill, choose to allow the love of God to flow through them to everything and everyone around them.
   

The health of a whole human being reaches its optimum level when these four parts are governed by principles provided by God's instructions. Said the Psalmist, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Psalms 139:14.

In the next blogs, we will start to look at how God wants human beings to live their lives in a way that glorifies Him, which will result in health, peace, prosperity. Until then, God bless you.