The Pursuit Of Health And Well-Being

Because you [Moab] have trusted in your wealth and skill, you will be taken captive. Your god Chemosh, with his priests and officials, will be hauled off to distant lands! [Jeremiah 48.7]

If people do not trust the Lord God, they are compelled to trust in something or someone else.

Trust is a precious thing. God is jealous for our trust.

The problem with wealth and skill is the tendency by those who have them to trust in them instead of trusting in God. Such was the case of Moab.

The problem with wealth and skill is the tendency by those who have them to trust in them instead of trusting in God. Such is the case with us!

Uh-oh.

I can only really speak for myself (although I think it more universal) but there is no lack of inclination to trust in wealth and skill. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in our health.

Health has become directly related to wealth. Wealth is what it takes to maintain health. Vitamins, drugs, doctors, annual check-ups, insurance, fitness, and the likes all take money. And, what this money buys is skill (medical knowledge in practice) and "security" (as in the case of insurance).

I suppose it is only natural that we need and want more wealth and skill because, at the end of the day, we desperately desire health and well-being.

But the problem lies in the very statement above. If our health and well-being are dependent upon wealth and skill, then we have placed our trust in wealth and skill. If our trust is in wealth and skill (whether we have them or not) then, our trust is NOT in God. It cannot be both ways.

I think, in this regard, we have some serious re-thinking and repenting to do.

Father, I confess my tendency to depend on wealth and skill instead of You. I confess I have 'bought in' to the barrage of advertisements that make gods of wealth and skill in the pursuit of health and well-being.