Meditations on Healthy Living

John 11:35 JESUS wept. [King James Translation]

Summary

This scripture is famous for being the shortest verse in the King James Bible and many other translations.* This scripture occurs in the narrative that describes the death and later resurrection of Lazarus. The events are as follows: JESUS receives a message from Mary and Martha that their brother, Lazarus, is sick. JESUS loved this family but HE does not go to see Lazarus until two days later. When JESUS arrives in Bethany where Lazarus and his two sisters lived, Jesus encounters Martha and later meets a weeping Mary, who falls at HIS feet and says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus sees her weeping, and the other people who came to console Mary also weeping, the Bible says, JESUS "groaned in the spirit, and was troubled." The Bible says, Jesus asked where they had laid Lazarus and was told to "come and see." Then, JESUS wept.

This short verse illustrates a great number of things and more, including:

  1. That JESUS was human. HE could feel human emotional pain and wept just as we do.
  2. That JESUS understood how death affected HIS friends and affects us.
  3. That JESUS understood the grip that death had over mankind.
  4. That we serve a GOD who weeps for us in our time of need.
  5. That JESUS loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, just as HE loves us.
  6. That JESUS is not distant.
  7. That weeping may precede resurrection, but resurrection is sure to come.

This scripture is short but significant.
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* Although "JESUS wept" is the shortest verse in many Christian translation bibles, it is not the shortest verse in the original languages. In the NIV, Job 3:2 is the shortest biblical verse. Whereas the KJV reads "And Job spake, and said," the NIV simply has "He said". The shortest verse in the Greek New Testament is Luke 20:30 ("και ο δευτερος", "And the second") with twelve letters, according to the Westcott and Hort text. See, www.wikipedia.com.

Benefits of Brief Exercises

According to Colette Bouchez, even a little exercise can yield big health benefits. For example Bouchez cites the following exercise findings:

  • A study published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2006 showed that short walks after dinner were more effective than long exercise sessions in reducing the amount of fat and triglyceride levels in the blood-stream after a hearty meal.
  • Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that short bouts of exercise helped lower blood pressure as well as shave inches off the hips and waistline.
  • In a study published in Preventive Medicine in 2006, researchers found that multiple workout sessions as short as 6 minutes apiece could help sedentary adults reach fitness goals similar to those achieved by working out for 30 minutes at a time.
  • In a finding published in the journal Psychopharmacology, doctors found that short bursts of exercise could help reduce the craving for cigarettes and help people quit smoking.

See, "How Much Exercise Do You Really Need? by Colette Bouchez, WebMD, reviewed by Dr. Louise Chang, www.webmd.com. Some of the quick exercises that Bouchez suggests are:

  1. Basic jumping jacks
  2. Squats
  3. Bending and reaching

Other more simple movements include:

  1. Standing up and sitting down in a chair
  2. Bending down and picking up objects from the floor
  3. Stand up super-straight, with shoulders rolled back, abdominals tight and chin up and hold his posture for 1 minute. Do this 3 times in succession. [an exercise that can be done standing in line]

Additional Short exercises include:

a. Neck exercises-Do 3-4 sets of the following exercises.

  1. Turning your head slowly from right to left without elevating your shoulders
  2. Tilting your head from side to side without elevating your shoulders
  3. Making a "V" with your head without elevating your shoulders

b. Hand exercises-Do 3-4 sets of the following exercises.

  1. Rotating your wrists one way and then another
  2. Slowly opening and extending your fingers and then slowing during the fingers in and making a fist.
  3. Bring your hand straight in front of you until your palms meet and then extending your hands behind you until your palms meet

c. Foot exercises-Do 3-4 sets of the following exercises.

  1. Pointing and flexing your feet, keeping either your toe or your heal on the ground
  2. Pointing and flexing your feet while seated in a chair
  3. Raising one foot and rotating your ankle while seated, then repeating the same exercise on the other foot

If you have injuries, pain, limited range of motion involving any area of your body or other health issues or concerns, you should always consult your personal physician before starting a new exercise program.

A Short But Significant Study

A daily or weekly devotional can be a short and significant study of the WORD of GOD in so many, many ways. It is a reminder that:

  • GOD IS!
  • GOD'S WORD is a living WORD and our relationship to HIM is the most important relationship we have, impacting everything we do.

Be Blessed!