The First Day of the Rest of Your Life

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. — Romans 10:9

Creating a healthy mind and body starts with nurturing your relationship with God.

He designed each of us to have a special relationship with Him. He created man and woman to commune with Him. Adam and Eve enjoyed a flawless existence with God in the garden. But when Adam and Eve sinned against God, all of that changed. Man’s perfect nature was now imperfect, and people were separated from God by sin.

In the Old Testament, the people of that time had to offer sacrifices for their sins in order to protect themselves from God’s wrath. But then everything changed again — God sent His Son, Jesus, so that we could all be saved from sin. In the New Testament there is a new covenant, or promise based on what Jesus came to earth to do for us — to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Instead of animal blood repeatedly being shed to atone for sins, Jesus shed His blood for all our past, present, and future sins. Jesus came to save all of humankind.

It is His gift to us; but it is up to us to accept this gift.

Romans 10:9 says when you confess Jesus as Lord and believe this truth in your heart, you are saved. When you accept Jesus as Lord of your life, you are no longer separated from Him — you are born again! You will spend eternity (life after death) in heaven with the Lord. The good news is that the blessings of walking with the Lord aren’t just for eternity; they are for life on earth as well. In addition to eternal salvation and forgiveness of sins, a relationship with Jesus gives us wisdom, comfort, purpose, and so much more! Spiritual health is the foundation for a healthy body. When I began to strengthen my relationship with Jesus, it was then that I was able to improve my physical health and find balance.

Lord, I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins and to allow me to have a relationship with my Creator. Jesus, I thank You that You no longer remember my sins. I believe that everything I was is now crucified on the cross with You, and I now have a new nature in Christ. Lord, give me strength to follow the path You designed for me. I believe that You will guide me and change me from the inside out. Today is the first day of the rest of my life! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Excerpted with permission from Devotions for a Healthier You by Katie Farrell, copyright Thomas Nelson 2014.

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Your Turn

Are you trying to be healthier in 2015? Take a step back and take note of your spiritual and emotional health. Remember: “Creating a healthy mind and body starts with nurturing your relationship with God.” Join the conversation on our blog! We’d love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily