Our Daily Walk With Christ
Healthy Living According To God’s Word
Family life and interpersonal relations are the focus of (Proverbs 17:19 ). According to (Proverbs 17:22), a joyful, positive mindset is key to experiencing healthy relationships and a fulfilling life: “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones”.
In the original Hebrew, the word for “merry” means “joyful, happy, and full of cheer.” The “heart” is a person’s inner self, thoughts, emotions, and will. “A joyful heart is good medicine,” says (Proverbs 17:22) in the English Standard Version. “Medicine” is something that treats or alleviates the symptoms of disease. One commentary suggests, “A cheerful heart causes good healing” as an appropriate literal translation. The NET Bible reads, “A cheerful heart brings good healing.” The Revised English Bible says, “A glad heart makes for good health.”
Scripture repeatedly testifies to the potent effects of the mind on the body: “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones,” states (Proverbs 14:30). “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit,” declares (Proverbs 15:13).
“A merry heart does well” because it generates health and healing within one’s inner being. By contrast, “a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22). (Proverbs 12:25) explains that “anxiety in the heart of man causes depression”. These wisdom sayings agree with scientific studies from the American College of Cardiology, Harvard Medicine, and John Hopkins that demonstrate the mind’s powerful influence over the body. A cheerful, contented temperament not only fortifies our mental health but enables us to resist the attacks of physical disease.
Since the heart is the center of our inner life, its condition and tone reach the outermost parts of our existence, including our bodies and even our relationships with others. Jesus said, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:18). If our hearts are elevated, our bodies will be lifted up, our words will be uplifting, and our relationships will be enriched. If our hearts are crushed and broken, the condition of our bodies will break down, and we’ll have no strength to encourage others.
So, if a good medicine is a merry heart, how can we foster and promote internal joy? Scripture says that God’s laws, precepts, and statues refresh the soul and gladden the heart (Psalm 19:7–8; 119:111). Spending time in God’s Word, meditating on His promises, is a guaranteed way to do your heart some good. The prophet Jeremiah testified, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16).
Considering God’s works and His ways will also make our hearts glad. The psalmist sang, “For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done” (Psalm 92:4). When Barnabas saw the grace of God, his heart was filled with joy (Acts 11:23). When we take time each day to consider all that God has done for us and in the lives of all His people, we can’t help but “be glad now and rejoice,” like the prophet Joel, “for the LORD has done great things” (Joel 2:21). Countless Scripture passages give us cause to be joyful in God, who is the source of our joy (Psalm 43:4; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 63:5; Luke 1:47).
The prophet Isaiah said, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3). We can “rejoice and be glad” in the Lord’s salvation (Isaiah 25:9). Jesus told the disciples to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
Perhaps the most excellent way to cultivate a merry heart that does good, like medicine, is to spend time in God’s presence. Both King David in the Old Testament and the apostle Peter in the New Testament found their greatest joy in the presence of the Lord (Acts 2:28; Psalm 16:9–11). In God’s company, we experience the fullness of joy.
Why Do We Celebrate Easter With A Rabbit and Eggs
The origin of the Easter Bunny can be dated back to the 13th century in Germany. Over time, the Easter Bunny and the hunt for his Easter eggs have become a cultural association of the Easter holiday, especially for children.
The Easter Bunny is a beloved trope associated with the Easter holiday period. The rabbit has pre-Christian roots associated with fertility, new life, and spring. However, early Christians weaved the pagan symbolism of the rabbit into their Christian traditions to make the teachings of Jesus Christ more amenable to those outside of the faith.
What Is the Easter Bunny’s History and Origin?
The history and origin of the Easter Bunny are deeply rooted in ancient traditions and cultures, with its earliest mentions dating back to the 13th century in Germany. The symbol of the rabbit, specifically in relation to the Easter festivities, is entwined with the worship practices of the Germanic peoples, known as the Teutons. These people had a rich pantheon of pagan gods and goddesses, among whom Eostra (also known as Ostara or Ēostre) held a prominent place. She was venerated as the goddess of fertility and spring, a season that embodies renewal, growth, and rebirth. It’s not coincidental that the word “Easter” itself is derived from the name of this goddess, indicating the deep historical and cultural connections between the festival and the ancient deity.
The choice of the rabbit as a symbol for Eostra, and thus for Easter, is particularly significant. Rabbits are known for their prolific breeding, making them a potent symbol of fertility and the burgeoning life associated with spring. This association was not merely symbolic but played a vital role in the seasonal festivities that welcomed the renewal of the earth after the cold, barren winter months.
As the centuries passed, these pagan traditions were woven into the fabric of Christian observance of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of new life. The fusion of these traditions can be seen in the adoption of the rabbit as a part of Easter celebrations, transforming it into what is now known as the Easter Bunny.
The Easter Bunny’s role in modern celebrations varies from one culture to another but generally includes hiding Easter eggs, another symbol of new life and fertility, for children to find on Easter morning. This practice likely evolved from earlier traditions of decorating eggs to celebrate spring and was eventually integrated into the Easter Bunny folklore. In Germany, where the Easter Bunny tradition originated, it was believed that this hare-like figure would lay a nest of colored eggs for good children.
How Did the Rabbit Symbol Become Connected to Easter?
In AD 595, 40 Roman monks were sent by Pope Gregory to England with the assignment of converting the Anglo Saxons to Christianity.
Under the Pope’s instructions, the 40 missionaries convinced the pagan Britons to integrate their ancient celebrations with Christian festivities, where both festival calendars coincided.
The amalgamation of these two traditions is evident in the observation of the Easter celebration. Like their Germanic forefathers, the Teutons, the Anglo-Saxons worshiped the goddess Eostra and held feasts in her honor on the March Equinox. Concurrently, in Western Europe, Easter was marked on the ecclesiastic calendar to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the March equinox.
Hence, the Roman monks were able to encourage the Britons to accept the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection at Easter, while at the same time, continuing their worship of the goddess Eostra and revering her motif, the rabbit.
Almost a century later, the first documentation of the Easter Bunny was recorded in the form of a myth in the 1500s.
The legend of the Easter Bunny was fortified through the traditions of German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania Dutch County in the United States in the 1700s. Consequently, the first fictional story of the Easter Bunny was published by the 1680s.
Over time, the Easter Bunny and the hunt for his Easter eggs have become a cultural association of the Easter holiday, especially for children.
What Are Other Pagan Traditions That Are Connected to Christian Holidays?
Some of our Christian holidays retain a vestigial of ancient pagan rituals.
Just as we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 as the One who brought us out of the darkness of death and sin and into the light of Salvation, so also did the ancient Romans celebrate the Saturnalia Festival, named after Saturn, on the same day. The celebration was to mark the passing of the longest night of the year with gift-giving, a public banquet, and other festivities.
Another Christian festival that has a common denominator with ancient festivities is Halloween. Though it may be known to some as the celebration leading up to All Saints Day, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Celtic holiday Samhain, which was celebrated around the 9th century to honor the seasonal transition into the winter months and the death of vegetation through crop harvesting and bitter frosts.
During Samhain, the Celts believed that the spiritual barrier between the dead and the living was at its thinnest, therefore, they dressed up as monsters and animals to protect themselves. As the festival continued to be celebrated into the Middle Ages, Jack-o-lanterns made out of turnips and potatoes became a favorite accompaniment to the festivities. Later, these vegetables were replaced with pumpkins.
What Does the Bible Say about Cultural and Religious Practices?
In Colossians 2:8, Paul warns us of falling prey to thoughts and practices that are based on human traditions:
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
That being said, Paul’s desire was to share the truth of God’s Word through love and encouragement to those who followed schools of scholarly or cultural thought.
In Acts 17:16-33, Paul’s concern that mankind be aware of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and discard any other cultural or philosophical practices is evident when he addresses the Athenians at the Areopagus.
Without condemning the people of Athens or their idolatrous and cerebral pursuits, Paul praised the people for their solemnity as worshipers and thereby established common ground between himself and them; however, his emphasis was that God was a living God, the creator of Heaven and Earth who resurrected the dead, whereas the Athenians were ignorant of the essence of the idols and philosophies that they held in such high esteem.
By using this encouraging approach, Paul succeeded in converting some of the crowd at the Areopagus into believers of Christ.
Should Christians Stay Away from Secular Easter Practices?
One of the fun things about Easter is eating chocolate Easter Bunnies, painting eggs, and taking part in Easter Egg hunts with your kids; it is a wonderful way to create wonderful memories with your family. However, it is ultimately a personal choice whether you celebrate these secular traditions or not.
What is most important, is keeping in mind what Easter is essentially about — the resurrection of Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross enabled our salvation and an eternal place beside our Father at His heavenly throne.
Why Should I Go To Church?
Simply put, the Bible tells us we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). We should follow that example of devotion—and to the same things. Back then, they had no designated church building, but “every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46). Wherever the meeting takes place, believers thrive on fellowship with other believers and the teaching of God’s Word.
Church attendance is not just a “good suggestion”; it is God’s will for believers. Hebrews 10:25 says we should “not [be] giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Even in the early church, some were falling into the bad habit of not meeting with other believers. The author of Hebrews says that’s not the way to go. We need the encouragement that church attendance affords. And the approach of the end times should prompt us to be even more devoted to going to church.
Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32).
When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). For a church body to function properly, all of its “body parts” need to be present and working (1 Corinthians 12:14–20). It’s not enough to just attend a church; we should be involved in some type of ministry to others, using the spiritual gifts God has given us (Ephesians 4:11–13). A believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without having that outlet for his gifts, and we all need the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21–26).