- The choice to cultivate healthy habits is ours. And that’s true, spiritually, as well.
I recently attended a class covering Paul’s missionary journeys, specifically Acts 14. Quite a story in that chapter.
Paul has just been stoned, dragged out of Lystra, and left for dead. He rises, goes back into the city (!) and from there revisits to various cities where he and Barnabas had planted churches where, Scripture says, they strengthened the disciples.
If I am in one of those churches, I no doubt want to learn about strength from a guy who was just stoned, left for dead, and then gets right back up and continues spreading the Gospel. Strength, indeed. Early believers would need that kind of fortitude in the years to come because, in the words of Paul, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
This morning, I read a fitness newsletter that discusses strength, particularly grip strength. In a massive 12-year study, researchers followed adults over 50 and discovered significant data about grip strength and longevity. People with weak grip strength had a 45% higher risk of early death. When weakness showed up across all three major strength areas (grip, lower body, and core), the risk of early death jumped to 69%.
Here are some conclusions of the study:
- Low grip strength alone = 45% higher risk of death
- Weakness across grip, lower body, and core = 69% higher risk of death
- Grip strength is a long-term predictor of mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in men
- People with relatively weak grip strength showed signs of accelerated aging of their DNA
- In a 2015 study of almost 140,000 adults, reduced handgrip strength was closely linked to mortality in people of all incomes, predicting risks for early death better than blood pressure
The newsletter author, a guy named Chris Lopez, advised, “Think of grip strength like the check engine light in your car.” When it starts to weaken, the whole body is probably experiencing systemic weakness.
The recommendation: Increase grip strength and you’ll enhance the entire body.
What do you suppose Paul was teaching those folks in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch as he sought to strengthen them in the Lord?
My guess is something along the lines of “the means of grace.” Whether one desires to increase physical strength or spiritual grace, it requires intentional action. First up, faith. Bet your life on this Jesus that Paul had been telling them all about. In addition – pray daily, read Scripture faithfully, fast regularly, take the Lord’s Supper frequently, attend church regularly, and participate in the small discipleship groups your church offers. Those are what we know as “works of piety.”
But also, Paul would have instructed, be all about “works of mercy” – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison, visiting the sick, contributing to the saving of souls from death.
Certainly, we all ought to be interested in physical strength and maintaining our overall health. But our spiritual condition is even more vital. According to Lopez, as far as our bodies are concerned, “unlocking your longevity is in your own hands – literally.” The choice to cultivate healthy habits is ours. And that’s true, spiritually, as well.
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength… they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…” (Isaiah 40:29-31)
