@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Renew Your Strength in God

I guess we all have days when we feel tired or lacking in energy. Then there are those unfortunate people who suffer from a physical condition that saps their physical energy and strength. But physical energy, valuable though it is, is only one aspect of our vitality. As spiritual beings we can have an inner energy and vitality that does not depend solely upon good health, fulfilling sleep, and regular exercise. I’m talking about the life and energy that flows from God whenever we actively connect with Him in listening prayer. This is the truth captured by Isaiah when he 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). If we desire strength for today, and for tomorrow, let us wait on the Lord. In a busy world, full of distractions, it is easy to neglect the spiritual discipline of seeking God and listening to His voice. When we take this seemingly counter-intuitive step, we will experience a supernatural transformation of time, for as the Living Bible paraphrase of Proverbs 10:27 says, "Reverence for God adds hours to each day." A somewhat strange and unexpected thing will happen. Instead of having less time to do what we need to do, we will find that we have more. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself, and renew your strength in God.