Making Choices for Life

In the Bible we learn that first Aaron (Numbers 20:23-29) and then Moses (Numbers 27:12-14, Deuteronomy 34:1-8) died at the time set by God. God curtailed the life of each of them because of an error they had made (Numbers 20:6-13). One lesson I see in that Scripture is that although Moses was 120 years old, “his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.” Moses was still in full strength to do the Lord’s will, but it was time for him to be “gathered to your people.”

As we follow Moses and Aaron through the exodus, we see two men who were focused on obedience to God, with only occasional exceptions. They lived according to the Word of the Lord day by day, without consideration of what amenities might be missing from their lives. I imagine that they had enjoyed the pleasures of Egypt when they had lived there, but gladly gave up all that without feeling any loss in order to walk in close fellowship with the Lord. To them, it was not a sacrifice to eat manna instead of meat – it had been provided by God for their nourishment and was fully sufficient for their needs.

I see the same kind of thing happening today. There are some people who have gladly given up whatever might interfere with their wellness in order to be wise stewards of the health that God has given them. They have studied and learned that many of the enjoyable foods available to us are actually slow poison, feeding disease rather than wellness. By guarding their health, they will be available to obey the Lord when many others will have fallen victim to the “diseases of affluence” that result from our rich diet.

I encourage each one who reads this to investigate the power of nutrition to support wellness, or, alternatively, the power of poor diet to destroy wellness. As many will testify, it is no loss to give up those parts of our lives that undermine our ability to serve the Lord. It is not a matter of longer life, but of availability to serve while living. I want to be ALIVE as long as I live!