On Wellness Day and every day: “It’s your life. Live it well.”

Today, as I began my morning devotional with the Lord, I realized that I do not have any online classes today as an adjunct Professor at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC. I received a reminder that today is “Wellness Day” an opportunity for the St. Augustine’s University community to engage in purposeful rest, recovery, and community activities promoting holistic health and wellness. While thinking about the objectives of Wellness Day, I also thought of a previous blog post on the topic of wellness, which I am revising and reposting here today. I recall words from Judy Sheindlin to serve the Quote of the Day for February 9, 2023:

“It’s your life. Live it well.”

The packet of information I received with that quote provided tips, activities, programs, and services related to health and wellness. Generally speaking, the concept of wellness brings to mind our physical well-being. Perhaps, if pressed, most people might also acknowledge the desire to achieve a state of well-being mentally or emotionally.

We recognize that wellness is a difficult word to define. Charles B. Corbin of Arizona State University offers this definition: “Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being.”

Wellness usually connotes “a healthy body and sound mind.” As the old folks used to testify: “I thank God for a reasonable portion of health and strength and that I am clothed in my right mind.” God, our Father, and creator, however, desires for us to experience wholeness, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally, as well as physically. I Thessalonians 5:23 in the New Living Translation reminds us of this truth:

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul, and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Those who seek to find and maintain wellness physically, mentally, and most importantly, spiritually obtain a priceless treasure. Indeed, they are wealthy beyond belief, as expressed in this personal poetic response:

A Question of Wealth

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper
in all things and be in health,
even as your soul prospers.

3 John 2

How do you measure the fullest meaning of wealth?
What is the total value? How much is the price
Of a fruitful spirit, a sound mind, and good health?
Can you calculate the sum and then square it twice?
To prosper and be in health, even as your soul
Prospers cannot be measured by any amount
Withdrawn from the world’s treasures, for even the whole
Earth could never contain so vast a bank account.
But those who set their affections on things above
And not on things on the earth are free to explore
The infinite riches of God’s favor and love,
For they alone know their true value even more.
The truly rich ask to receive and seek to find
The priceless wealth of strength in God and peace of mind.

Many times when someone asks, “How are you doing; how’s it going?” I will respond, “It is well.” The lyrics to one of the most popular hymns of all time come to mind as we close with this rendition of this timeless classic by Chris Rice:

Wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb

The Verse of the Day posted on the Logos Bible Software Home page for February 4, 2023, comes from Leviticus 16:30 (New Living Translation):

³⁰ On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins.

The passage from Leviticus reveals the elaborate purification process given to Moses for the Children of Israel whereby their sins were atoned for or forgiven under the Law or the Old Covenant:

As Hebrews 9:13 reminds us:

Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

The context related to this verse points out the distinction between the Old Covenant established by the blood sacrifice of animals and the New Covenant implemented through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:13-14 point out this distinction:

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

The reference to the distinctive power inherent in the blood of Jesus Christ brings to mind these original lines related to the color red:

red

red clay red

Adamic dust red

red man

red

yearning

to return to Eden

red

red

blood red

red

yes, Lord, red

Lamb’s blood

red

precious blood

red

blood-stained banner

red

like the crimson flow

that cleanses scarlet sins

and washes white as snow

red

Amen red

red

blood red

As I read the Verse of the Day and related scriptures, I also thought of this original psalm as I personalized the shedding of blood by Jesus Christ on my behalf:

Beyond Hyssop

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 Psalm 51:7

Can any stalks of hyssop purify my leprous soul?

Can they daub with precious lamb’s blood the lintels of this house?

Where are the purgatives to cleanse and balms to me make whole

When the passions of my sinful flesh surface and arouse

My senses with flames rekindled from those carnal embers?

Can I be made clean once more, as I wrestle this body

Of death each day and seek to beat back my mortal members?

Though hyssop may flush my rancid soul of iniquity,

Beyond the strength of this remedy is life-giving blood

Of the Lord Jesus, ultimate, unblemished sacrifice

Sent from the bosom of the Father, who alone is good.

Such a costly prescription is far beyond any price.

Truly this balm in Gilead has healed my wounded soul,

Deeply cleansed me from within, and his blood has made me whole.

Lyrics of the stalwart hymn also remind us “There is power, wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb,” as Ephesians 2:13 also makes known:

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

In Hebrews 10:19 we find this exhortation:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

1 John 1:7 also reinforces the message of the purifying presence of the blood of Jesus Christ:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

The context for this section of 1 John chapter 1 is fellowship with God and with fellow believers. Verses 6-10 begin with the conditional clause “if we” followed by a verb: “If we say… if we walk… if we say… if we confess… if we say….” These expressions establish the conditions which if met on our part, will result in a corresponding action on God’s part. These two parts of the conditional sentences are especially noted in 1 John 1:9. If we do our part, which is to confess our sins, our faithful and just God will do His part, for the ‘blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness.” Without question, the blood of Jesus Christ is an amazing spiritual repository of life-generating power.

We conclude with CeCe Winans’ offering in song: “The Blood Medley”: