What is to prevent me…?

In Sunday’s Lectionary, after a conversation, the Ethiopian says to Philip, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” Just like that. No rigmarole. Just, let’s do it. We church people like to do things in an orderly fashion – it may help prevent the abuse of power – but maybe sometimes this causes frustration. And this is a big step for the early Christians too: this was an Ethiopian! (…although he had been to Jerusalem to worship and was reading the scriptures). And he was spoilt goods, lacking the ability to have children. So a big step – but no pausing on the brink – “What is to prevent me…?” There was enough in that conversation for him (and Philip) to know what he was getting in to. In any case, it seems to me that we have to make the big steps in our lives with incomplete information. – much as I would like to know everything first.

Took lots of boots to the recycling centre this morning – all of them completely knackered – that’s lots of walking, much of it memorable – Janet’s LEJOG and more besides.

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