Matthew 9:6
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
There is a great principle taught in this story when Jesus healed the sick of the palsy. When Jesus saw him, He said unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and go… This man who had the palsy would have continued to be sick had he not listened to Jesus’ command to arise and go. This palsy would have continued to cripple this man had he not arisen. The key to this man being healed is that he arose and went to his house as the Saviour told him to do.
I believe too many people continue in sickness because they stay in their bed instead of arising and going. I am certainly no doctor, but I do know what I have done throughout my life that has kept me relatively healthy. At this writing, I have been the Pastor of my church for six years, and I have been in the ministry for over three decades. In all these years, I can only think of maybe one or, at the most, two Sundays I have not been able to go to church due to sickness. Since I have been pastor, I have not missed one Sunday, and this includes the COVID era. God has been very good to keep me healthy, but I believe one reason is because I have refused to let sickness keep me in bed. I believe there is merit to continuing to go even when you don't feel well. Of course, if you have a fever you should stay home because you are contagious, but otherwise, I believe getting up and going is one of the best ways to stay healthy and to keep sickness from keeping you down. Let me share a few thoughts about this principle.
First, you are not surrendering to whatever your body is fighting by continuing to go. The body will surrender to sickness if you surrender and stay home. Part of fighting sickness is not allowing sickness to keep you down. Just like Jesus told this man to arise and take up his bed and go, you should keep going when you don't feel the greatest. As long as you are not contagious, continuing to go is a good way to tell your body you are not surrendering to what is trying to make you sick.
Second, Satan will be sure to use your not feeling well as a tool to keep you out of church if you surrender. I am a big proponent of taking weapons out of Satan’s arsenal so that he won't use them again. If I show Satan that not feeling well will not keep me from serving the LORD, he will realize this weapon won't work against me and won't use it again, or at least not for a long time. Don’t give Satan the pleasure of knowing that he can keep you down by not feeling well. Is it not amazing that he always makes sure you don't feel well on Sundays? If you are well enough to go to work on Monday, you are well enough to go to church on Sunday.
Third, you will always feel better once you do right than if you sit at home surrendering to sickness. By going to church, you will at least get fed spiritually, or you will get to enjoy the exhortation of being around God’s people. God made us to be social, and being around people is healing. Instead of sitting at home not feeling well, get up and go to church; you will find being around people will help you to feel much better.
If you are truly sick, you should certainly stay home and get rest, but don't let sickness keep you down. You will stay much healthier if you make it your habit to arise and go when you don't feel that well.
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