The Bible — down to earth

The Bible is intensely practical. Yes, it is complex, easily misunderstood and often misapplied. Even Peter, one of Jesus' apostles, agrees with its difficulty and ease of manipulation (2 Peter 3:15 -- 16.) However, the Bible is also exceptionally down-to-earth. For example, in 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah is deeply discouraged, running for his life and worn out. His demeanor is such that he tells the Lord, "I have had enough" (1 Kings 19:4, NLT.) Yet, in God's kindness, he sends an angel to care for him, highlighting actions to take when, as Popeye says, "That's all I can stands, cuz I can't stands n'more."

First, an angel was sent to Elijah as a reminder that while we may be tempted to isolate ourselves when discouraged, we need others. Genesis 1:26 tells us that man was made "in our image." We have been created out of community for community. We thrive with others as much as we think we need no one.

Secondly, Elijah lay down beneath a broom tree and slept, awakened by the angel to eat and drink some water, then sleep some more. Sleep is vital to your well-being. Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at UC Berkley and one of the world's leading sleep experts, writes, ""The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep." Developing a good sleep routine is one of the best actions you can take for your health and well-being.

Lastly, the angel awakened him to freshly baked bread. So he ate, drank water, slept more, then ate and drank again. This a reminder that your physical health directly impacts your spirit and emotions. A Christian psychologist was once asked how he treats his patients with depression or anxiety. "Oh, that's easy," he replied, "I [begin with giving them] three pills. ... Good exercise, good sleep and good diet." Your physical, emotional and spiritual health should not be treated as separate containers with no impact on each other but as three ingredients to the unique recipe of you.

The best thing you can do this next week for your life is to surround yourself with people you love, eat some good food together, then send them home so you can go to sleep. All three are evidences of God's grace and love toward you.