Will You Get Old With Vitality, or With Disease?

Your decision to get into shape is the best decision you can make, not only for yourself but for the loved ones in your life. I recently saw a commercial produced by the Heart and Lung Association of Canada that powerfully juxtaposed two alternative outcomes of an aging man. The commercial is shot in a split-screen format and in the beginning scene the man’s foot is slipping into a hospital slipper while in the other screen it is slipping into a running shoe. The narrator sullenly asks “what will your last ten years look like, will you be quick enough for a game of tag with your grandchild, strong enough to embrace every moment?” On screen you see the man, sickly and near death, being assisted by a nurse take sips from a straw. In the other screen the man is sipping from a juice box held by his granddaughter.

“Will you get old with vitality, or with disease?” The commercial is a powerful warning that the way we live today is going to have serious consequences in the future, the choices we make now will determine the quality of our lives down the road. This message should be enough to get you off the couch and into the gym, to say no to the bad habits that are keeping you from being healthy. God does not want this kind of life for you, instead he wants you to be strong of body, mind and soul, to live your life to the fullest with zest, confidence and good health. The Bible says “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 1:2). How do you imagine your last ten years of life? Will you be alive with the spirit of the Lord, physically able to enjoy your family and friends, strong enough to enjoy the activities that are important to you? I believe God wants this for all of his people, make the change today and you will live long and healthy enough to be glad you did.