Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, October 8, 2020

"If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."¹

Regarding the laws God gave to the ancient Israelites. While perhaps seeming somewhat strange to us today, many of these were actually laws of health and hygiene. If the people heeded and lived by God's laws, they would be a whole lot healthier than their counterparts in Egypt. In a very similar way, living according to God's laws and principles will also help us to live happier and healthier lives.

For example, Ravi Zacharias writes: "In a fascinating article in the April 2000 issue of Christianity Today, psychology professor David G. Myers sifted through evidence to see if it indicated whether faith more often uplifts or debilitates. He writes, 'We now have massive evidence that people in active faith communities are happier and healthier than their un-churched peers. Recent epidemiological studies reveal they even outlive their un-churched peers by several years.'

"After paragraphs of citing statistics gathered from the United States and abroad, he concludes that the correlation between faith and morality is more commonsensical than one might think. 'If your car broke down in a crime-ridden area and some strapping teenage boys approached you,' asks commentator Dennis Prager, 'wouldn't you feel better to know they had just come from a Bible study?'"²

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, again I thank You for the laws and principles found in Your Word that, when followed diligently, guarantee a healthier, happier, and more productive life. Help me always to live in harmony with Your Word. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Exodus 15:26 (NKJV).
2. Ravi Zacharias, "A Slice of Infinity," December 2, 2002, http://www.sliceofinfinity.org/.

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