Sunday morning with rain, Hermes Baby, and the Bible

Feb 11, 2024, 6 am

Morning rain. The neighborhood looks gloomy. Even Paul, who is normally excited to begin his walk, looks sleepy, as if he'd had an all-nighter. In the corner of the living room, I read my Bible. My reading guide takes me to Exodus, where Moses receives the instructions from God. Moses, once an unwilling servant, is transformed by his meeting with God, Who speaks to him as a friend. The people rebel and sacrifice to idols. The passages display the supreme holiness of God and the wickedness of man. It also highlights the lovingkindness of God. God wants His people separate from the world. To distinguish them from the pagan peoples of the other lands, God instructs them through Moses to observe feasts and celebrations. The instructions are detailed. Feasts will force them to remember, as they are prone to forget.

My other reading takes me to Philippians, written by the great apostle Paul who is, scholars believe, in prison. Philippians is a joyful letter. One can rejoice despite difficult circumstances. To rejoice is a command. Paul reminds the growing and persecuted church to look over and beyond the present circumstances, and to praise God. There is rejoicing in the acknowledgment that in Christ, the Christian has everything. Paul calls all things—perhaps including his excellent education, his impeccable track record as a Pharisee, and his many other achievements, including the details of his pedigree—rubbish compared to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord.

What else, truly, do I need when I have Christ?

Have a blessed Sunday. I write this using my Hermes Bay portable typewriter, which is delightful!