Did you hear about the man who brushed his teeth twice a day, and had a physical examination twice a year, and stuck to a strict balanced diet? He also got at least eight hours of sleep every night. This man was planning to live to be a hundred, but he died long before that. He was, however, survived by eighteen specialists, four health institutes, and six gymnasiums.

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That little tidbit was intended to be humorous, but what isn’t humorous is the fact that many people seem to be doing everything right in life, except one thing - they are FORGETTING ABOUT GOD! I’m not playing down taking care of ourselves, but if you forget about God, and do everything else exactly right, you have made a mistake nothing else can make up for.

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Paul said: “Exercise yourself toward godliness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise (godliness) is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” (1 Tim. 4: 7-8). Paul uses a word (exercise) to show the comparison between physical and spiritual exercise or training. The verb in Greek is “gymnazo,” and the noun “gymnasia” bringing to mind gymnastics and the gymnasium. Thus, the apostle is saying that while bodily exercise is of limited value, godliness is of value in every way. That is to say, the training or exercise of the body, while profitable in this life, being limited in its benefits, namely, to the physical man and to time and duration, but exercise unto godliness i. e., the training of one’s soul is beneficial to both now and prepares us for eternity. Thus, we all need to “gymnasticize” or “train” unto godliness!

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How terrible it will be for those who have spent their life on themselves, even if they live to be 110, but who have never obeyed God. When the last opportunity is gone, only separation from God lies ahead. (1 Tim. 1: 7-9). Don’t let life’s opportunities to seek God’s salvation slip by. Think on these things.

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Dennis Abernathy