THE WEALTH OF HEALTH

“He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes” – Psalm 105:37

My heart ponders still on the WEALTH of HEALTH: “He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes” (Psa.105:37). God delivered the people of Israel out of the oppression of the Egyptians by His mighty hand. However, the miracle did not end there. He made sure they were loaded with silver and gold, and also kept them in good health. God’s liberation of His people with abundance of silver and gold would have been useless for the wilderness journey if they lacked sound health!

The absolute Lord of all property, empowered His people to ask and receive from the Egyptians, and thereby, as a righteous Judge, awarded them the wages due to their great labours. The Egyptians were willing and ready to furnish the Israelites with anything required in order to dismiss them. Egypt was glad when they departed because God so wonderfully proved Himself and pleaded their cause that the fear of Israel fell upon Egypt. In the desert, He spread a cloud for a covering to protect them from the heat of the sun, which, in that hot and open country, would otherwise have been intolerable to them. God blessed His people with both material wealth and the wealth of health, but it was the latter that sustained the former!

God is still in the habit of blessing His people. He does not only save from sin and hell, He also delivers from sickness and poverty. God blessed Abraham in a strange land based on the covenant He made with him. This same blessing was passed to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and every of their descendants that walked faithfully in the covenant of God. It is the turn of believers in Christ to manifest this all-round blessing. God is determined to manifest in our health, finances, family and career. We only need to walk in the fullness of the covenant blessing we have in God. The blood of Jesus has qualified us for blessing in all areas of life. God will daily load us with wealth and health (Psa.68:19). The two are not contradictory!

The story is told of James Cash Penny, a businessman, who suffered massive financial losses during the 1930s’ Great Depression. This sudden misfortune endangered his health, and Penny lost all motivation for living. While in hospital one night, discouraged, deflated and expecting death, he heard the following lyrics streaming in from the hospital chapel: “Be not dismayed whatever betide, God will take care of you. Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.” This led to Penny’s salvation and miraculous healing; and he never again suffered depression. He lived to a ripe old age of 95 leaving behind immense wealth. Without health, Penny lost his wealth, but in health he regained it. Indeed, health is wealth.

Good health is of inestimable value. We need sound health to achieve our life goals. Yet, it cannot be bought with money! What price can we put on the Oxygen we freely breathe? If we were to rent a heart, a liver, a kidney or an intestine, how much can we save to sustain such for a year? How thankful should we be if God has spared us the pain and predicament of bargaining the price of a heart transplant, kidney transplant, kidney dialysis, liver transplant or cancer treatment?

To the extent that God enables, we must take care of our health; live by the covenants of health and healing; practise basic health rules, reasonable exercises and good nutrition; and trust God for His best. If we do become ill, let’s pray for healing: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up…” (Jam.5:14-15). As God leads, we should seek prompt medical attention. The bottom line is to enjoy the wealth of health in spirit, soul, and body!