Genesis 4:2
Our Innermost DemonsThen she gave birth to another child, Abel, Cain's brother. Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer.
Genesis 4:2
The golden rays of the summer sun shone through the high church windows. There was a pleasant warmth in the old, stone walls.
"Dear sisters and brothers in the Lord, you who are united with us today, you who pray with us." Taemin knew the words by heart and moved his lips to them.
Ever since Taemin's childhood, old Father Park had started his sermons with these. And this Sunday had been no exception. He was sitting straight on the dark wooden pew in the small village church, listening to the Sunday sermon with rapt attention. On his lap rested a small black Bible, its leather cover already heavily worn.
"Establish justice for me, God, and lead my cause against the faithless people, and deliver me from the false and wicked people! For thou art the God of my strength: why hast thou cast me off? Why must I go so sadly when my enemy presseth me?"
Next to Taemin sat his father. He was an older, sturdily built man. His once black hair, had already faded to a dark grey. After the death of Taemin's mother, Taemin felt, his father had aged faster. He didn't want his father to suffer any more. So from then on he got up earlier, like his mother once did, and prepared breakfast. He was always the last to go to the horses in the evening to see if everything was all right.
His older brother Jinki had not come to church that day. He never knew exactly what Jinki did at those hours, but he couldn't possibly ask him. Jinki would certainly not tell him the truth, but would ridicule the matter and make a joke. But Taemin found no humour in it. Why couldn't Jinki see that he could make their father happy with such a little thing as going to church? One even learned something in the process.
It wasn't that he thought his brother didn't believe in God or didn't know what was written in the Bible. After all, as a child, Jinki had come along every Sunday before, as had he. But after their mother died, his church attendance became more sporadic, until eventually he didn't come at all. But Taemin hoped his brother wouldn't do anything stupid during that time.
He had never told his father, but he had already seen Jinki talking to a woman a few times. However, not in a way like one spoke to friends, or like Jinki spoke to Taemin. It seemed more intimate somehow. But how close the two of them were, Taemin was unable to interpret. He told himself that Jinki knew what was right and wouldn't cross the line. He was probably only with his best friend Jonghyun at these times anyway.
"Send your light and your truth to guide me and bring me to your holy mountain and to your dwelling place, that I may go in to the altar of God, to the God who is my joy and delight, and give thanks to you, God, on the harp, my God. Why art thou troubled, O my soul, and art so disquieted within me? Harp on God; for I shall yet thank him, that he is the help of my countenance, and my God." Father Park finished reading the verse. "What does Psalm 43 tell us?" he looked at the eager faces of his congregation. Properly dressed with their pious families, they sat on the old wooden pews. "Wait on God!" he raised his finger respectfully in the air. "Pray to God my friends, and he will show you the way, the light!" With fervour and conviction, the preacher's deep voice echoed in the church. Not only Taemin, but the other churchgoers nodded in agreement. "If your souls are afflicted, if the enemy presses you..." with a meaningful pause, the pastor glanced around. "...wait on God."
Taesun shook Father Park's hand amicably. "Another great sermon, Father." The two had known each other since childhood. They were some of the few from their class who had not left their village after school, but had stayed here. And for Taesun, it had been the right decision ever since. There were things in the city that he did not want to put h
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