Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. Deut. 34:7, NIV.

The seasoned leader sat alone, saddened by the reality of impending death. His life's dream lay below him in awesome splendor and inspiring beauty. His disease-free heart thrilled within him as he considered entering the Promised Land, but his crystal-clear mind reminded him that he would not set foot in Canaan.

Moses sat upon Mount Nebo in good health, waiting to die! His eyesight, perfect in his advanced age, took in the rapture of the scene before him. He did not have to squint or adjust his glasses. Though he had just climbed the mountain, he felt no fatigue, nor was his heart pounding from the strain of the climb. "His eyes were not weak nor his strength gone."

At 120 years of age Moses was in good health, a living testimony of the result of following the Lord's lifestyle plan. There was no physical reason for Moses to die, only spiritual. God had told him he would not enter Canaan because he had struck the rock twice. As his life had been an example of the result of obedience to God's natural law, now his death would be an example of disobedience to God's spiritual commands.

Today when someone is diagnosed with colon polyps, the reaction typically is "Oh, well, everyone gets these by the time they're 60; it's just part of growing old." When a doctor informs a retired man that he has cataracts and needs expensive surgery, what's the response? "Well, I should have known this would happen. Cataracts are a part of growing old."

But is it? Here are some interesting statements to consider: "Obedience to God's law in every respect would save men from . . . disease of every type" (Temperance, p. 228). "Every practice which destroys the physical, mental, or spiritual energies is sin" (The Ministry of Healing, p. 113). "The burden of sin, with its unrest and unsatisfied desires, lies at the very foundation of a large share of the maladies the sinner suffers" (Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 579).

Maybe old age isn't to blame! It's something to think about, isn't it?

Sickness and disease don't need to be an expected part of growing older if you maintain your body with God's lifestyle plan.

Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.