Activity is an important part of the CREATION model of health and a vital component of wholeness. This principle has its roots in the Garden of Eden.
The original paradise was indeed a beautiful, tranquil place. But contrary to some stereotypes, Adam and Eve didn’t lie all day on a riverbank in Eden drinking fresh coconut juice. They didn’t just lounge around looking at flowers and birds.
While the Creator could have designed their lives to be quite labor-free and passive, He had something else in mind.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Paradise, for Adam and Eve, wasn’t a world of idleness. Eden didn’t automatically meet all their needs. They were responsible for cultivating the garden. It was God’s way of keeping them physically active.
Studies done by Steven Blair at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, and by other groups, have revealed the enormous influence of exercise on our daily lives. Simply getting up off the couch and walking for 30 to 40 minutes three to five times a week can diminish our risk of premature death from cancer and cardiovascular disease by 20 to 40 percent.
If somebody told you that they could give you a 20 to 40 percent return on an investment, you’d probably write them a check right now.
“Exercise,” explains physical therapist Terry Barter, “is the component that brings in the nutrients via the bloodstream to your muscles, your bones, and your joints. It helps get the oxygen through your blood system. This helps grow, mend, promote, and maintain your body. When you take your car in for a tune-up, it really runs better. Then after a while, it needs another tune-up. The body is the same way. Activity is the way we tune up.”
Commit today to exercising on a regular basis. Your body will thank you for it later!
