Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested.
Can we ever sufficiently value it? To trifle with such a blessing is the madness of folly. The highest praise that can be given about having good health would not be extravagant. He that has a healthy body is infinitely more blessed than he who is sickly, whatever his position in life may be. Yet if I have health, my bones are well set, and my muscles well strung, if I scarcely know an ache or pain, but can rise in the morning, and with elastic step go off to work, and go to bed at night, and sleep soundly all the night through, yet, my Lord, let me not glory in my strength! In a moment it may fail me. A few short weeks may reduce the strong man to a skeleton. A serious disease may set in; the cheek may turn pale with the shadow of death. Do not let the strong man glory in his strength. The Lord’s “pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor is his delight in the legs of a man.” And do not let us boast concerning these things. You that are in good health, say, “My God, Oh, that you would bless me! Give me a healthy soul. Heal me of my spiritual diseases. Lord God come, and purge out the leprosy that is in my heart by nature: make me healthy in the heavenly sense, that I may not be put aside among the unclean, but allowed to stand among the congregation of your saints. Bless my bodily health to me that I may rightly use it, spending the strength I have in your service and to your glory; otherwise, though blessed with health, I may not be truly blessed.”
