@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“The professions and trades of those who are going to be accepted into the community must be examined. The nature and type of each must be established… brothel, sculptors of idols, charioteer, athlete, gladiator…give it up or be rejected. A military constable must be forbidden to kill, neither may he swear; if he is not willing to follow these instructions, he must be rejected. A proconsul or magistrate who wears the purple and governs by the sword shall give it up or be rejected. Anyone taking or already baptized who wants to become a soldier shall be sent away, for he has despised God.”
~ Hippolytus (170AD – 236AD)
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Go to Heaven’s Gym

Many people today are concerned to maintain their physical health and fitness, but not so many are aware of the need to stay in good spiritual shape. Our title for today’s brief reflection is a little bit tongue in cheek, because the path to spiritual fitness is somewhat different to the path to physical fitness. Nevertheless, out title is true in principle, because spiritual health and strength also require exercise. Not physical exercise, but spiritual. There are various spiritual exercises that we may use to become spiritually strong, but the greatest will always be waiting on God, which is why Isaiah writes, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). When we choose to be still and look to Jesus (that is, we practice the presence of God with us), and we use our God-given imaginative faculty to actively listen to Him, something miraculous happens. We hear His personal word to us, which progressively transforms us into His likeness, renewing our mind and strengthening our spirit. This is the guaranteed outcome of ‘working out’ in Heaven’s gym!