Just when we thought we knew what we were doing life on earth has gotten pretty crazy.
Forget that image of God’s “still small voice”. In a not so subtle way God is bringing us around to the realization that what we thought was the right way of doing things is soooooo way off! Or… maybe we’re just going through a bought of bad karma right now.
President Washington’s death was most certainly hastened by the practice of blood letting. Historians and medical authorities estimate between five to seven pints of blood were drawn from his sixty-nine year old body when he was ill. A doctor of that time, James Brickell, later reported, “Very few of the most robust young men in the world could survive such a loss of blood.”
Today’s modern fitness culture, based on sound science may not be much better. How much vitamin D should you get? Not all experts agree. Not too long ago general recommendations were that we should exercise for 30 to 90 minutes a day on most days of the week. Now a report by Harvey Simon, M.D., of Harvard Health Publications suggests that regardless of the guidelines, only you can decide how much exercise is right for you. When it comes to cancer treatments, fat loss, longer life and much more, it is hard to tell what qualifies as sound research and what may prove to be nothing more than modern day quackery. Is steroid drug use really all that bad? Maybe not. Get ready for cognitive enhancement drugs. In the journal Nature seven co-authors from Harvard, Stanford and other prestigious institutions said, “Pharmaceutical enhancement of inborn mental gifts is a trend to be welcomed.”
In today’s current climate of global chaos, finding CHANGE we can believe in gives us some comfort for the moment. Interestingly though the other big buzz word these days is FUNDAMENTAL. (The late Jerry Falwell surely has a big smile on his face.) It is at this convergence of rather opposing words that we find ourselves wondering how to make sense of our relatively fragile and contrived existence. Certainly we’ve arrived to a state of enlightenment where we see how dim-witted we really are. However, we have the opportunity to find something else — God — A very personal God that is calling to me and calling to you. To everyone God is calling us not to make fundamental changes but to change back to the fundamentals.
With God we can be made different from the failed lifestyles to which we’ve clung for so long. We can be transformed by the original structure of life and underlying principles of why we were created. Lest you think I’m spiritually ranting, let me offer you a few basics:
Do good to others even when they persecute you.
Respect the power and authority of God and let His instruction define the way you choose to behave.
Grace is a free gift. Simply accept it and generously give it to others.
This is ancient Bible stuff that creates sustainable growth and builds lasting equity (both justice and value). And- it has everything to do with your physical and spiritual fitness. Pay attention to how you are exercising your body. It is a reflection of how you are exercising your spirit. I dare you to take notes and record your observations. Then ask yourself how you can give more and get involved.
Give more of yourself as you exercise – push harder, go further, focus and discover your capacity for relentless fervor. Do it when you exercise. Then do it as you live life. Don’t stop there. Personal physical fitness can easily become a ritual of self-service if you don’t use it as a means to get involved in the lives of others. Apply your strength to physically work hard and do good works. Draw on your peace of mind to comfort and encourage others. From diet to exercise, wellness will take on new dimensions when you dedicate yourself to being a vessel of service.
These are the fundamentals that measure true fitness.
Train strong in Christ,
-Brad Bloom,
Publisher
