When you are enrolled in Medicare as I am, you are encouraged to get a “FREE” wellness checkup with your doctor once a year.
Free? Medicare premiums were deducted from my paycheck for most of my working years. Now that I’m retired, a monthly premium is deducted from my Social Security check, and I pay an additional premium for my Medicare Advantage plan. So it ain’t free.
Anyway, the wellness thing consists of a two page questionnaire basically asking me if I’m well. Then I go to the doctor’s office, where he reads my answers, agrees with my conclusions, and pronounces me well.
I really like my doctor. He’s a very pleasant and caring young man (he’s also very competent, but that’s supposed to be a given, right?) We usually have a nice chat, then we schedule for next year. He did order some blood work today, and one test which I shall not name because it involves some very unpleasant prep work. (Let the reader understand.)
I do something like a wellness check with my car too. I take it to the dealer, ask them to change the oil and do an overall safety check. This they did a couple of weeks ago, and I was presented with a reasonable bill for the oil change, and a two page list of recommended repairs totaling about $1,500 not including a new set of tires. I’m getting a second opinion tomorrow.
There’s one more wellness checkup I do, and this one is absolutely free. It’s the checkup I do every morning with my heavenly Father. I read His word first, asking to be guided in the truth. God speaks through this word: encouraging, warning, teaching, comforting, and directing me. Then I speak back to him; adoring, confessing, thanking, and asking. The Spirit oversees the whole conversation, and produces in me the desired result (God’s, not mine.).And by His grace and mercy I am pronounced “well”.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalms 139:23-24 (ESV)
Robert Frohlich 
I love how you can find a spiritual truth in the most mundane topics. I finished reading your beautiful memoir. Now I just need to come up with the right words for a five-star Amazon review.
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Well said, and great analogies. Have you noticed that all the medical personnel are getting younger and younger? Your annual routine sounds very similar to my own. Nice little chat, rudimentary inspection of basic health, comments about the blood work results, and then reschedule for the same routine next year. And, as you pointed out, it ain’t at all free! If we only paid more attention to our spiritual health and the advice (actually commands) of the Great Physician!
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Praise God for the spiritual wellness he provides, as we feed our spirits through scripture, get rid of worry by prayer, and release endorphins through meditation on God and worship. He’s thought of everything for our welfare!
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I love that you cite Ps 139:23-24. That is my prayer every morning 🙂 In the very first Bible I ever owned, The Living Bible, published in 1971, it reads: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path to everlasting life.
Don’t you love that? Anything that makes Him sad. No other translation uses the word ‘sad.’ There’s something about that that touches me so. The NLT says, “anything that offends you.” I still like sad better.
I started your book last week. This is such a hectic time I haven’t been able to get back to it but I am enjoying it so and getting lots of chuckles. Love your writing style 🙂 When I am done with taxes and unexpected visitors in crisis … and Easter, life will calm down a bit.
Blessings 🙂
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