Saturday, February 13

Oh yes. Just returned from the night in the city. We went to the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA, and then had an incredible dinner at the Capital Grille. Such a great day all around. Now tomorrow morning we're going down to ORB, which I'm incredibly excited about and then Jill's special Valentines Day surprise is commencing. Jill told my friend Sole what the surprise is and now he is totally jealous - which is a good sign. I can't wait - Jill has never successfully pulled off a surprise for me. Ever. So this one must be excellent. You will only have to wait until tomorrow night to find out what it is...

Reading for February 13
Exodus 35:10-36:38
So this is when the people start building and making all of the stuff God asked for. And this is a really cool scene here - everyone is working together and donating their own specific skill or talent to the greater good. Sewers were sewing, carpenters were building, teachers were teaching - and they were all working together in community without complaining or arguing. I just like this idea a lot. It is essentially communism, but without all the anger and Russian.

²⁹ So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord.

Love it. I would love to live in a society like this. Everyone just shares and there's none of the entitlement and BS that comes from a capitalistic society - what a sweet way to live. 

Matthew 27:32-66
This is it. The climax of the Bible - the crucifixion of Jesus. Something so interesting that I'm seeing for the first time is this: As Jesus hung there on the cross, slowly dying, passers-by mocked him telling him to save himself. The Pharisees said "Come down from there and then we'll believe in you." If Jesus had come down just to prove himself to the Pharisees, his sacrifice would have never occurred. This made me think - when I ask God for something and demand an answer, he may not respond because of a greater plan that is set to take place.

Extrapolating this further - when Jesus was being mocked and being challenged to come off the cross, don't you think that was the most temptation he ever dealt with? How easy would it be for him to come down. Just a few pages ago he was talking about how easily he could summon a legion of angels - surely he can come down off a cross. But the fact that this temptation was going on in his mind, and yet he still chose to continue with it is unarguable beautiful.

Psalm 34:1-10

 ⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
      Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
 ⁹ Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
      for those who fear him will have all they need.
 ¹⁰ Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
      but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

Again, this is a benefit of fearing God and not an instruction on how to do it. Still something to add to the list of benefits! I also like the line, "Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him." It says something about true Christianity - that it is good for us.

Proverbs 9:7-8
 ⁸ So don’t bother correcting mockers;
      they will only hate you.
   But correct the wise,
      and they will love you.
 
I would add to this - don't correct anyone, because no one likes to be corrected.

I am so inexplicably tired. I guess I did a lot of walking today in the city, but boy oh boy are my eyelids droopy. Alright, sleep. See you tomorrow. Can't wait for my surprise - I know you can't either.