It is a command! it is an expression! It is timeless.
God writes, and one wonders what pen is big enough for the Mighty Creator to write with or what material is worth His effort to write on; though in Exodus 34:1, God says, “Cut two tablets of stone, … and I will write on these…”
Because no human pen is large or priceless enough for God to hold and because no material is worth his while to use, He uses His own finger and His own invention: “… two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God,” Exodus 31:18 B states.
Yes, God writes; thus, we can say writing is ordained by God and one of the first efforts of Man from the beginning after Farming, Management, and Communication (when Adam was tasked to name all animals and whatever name he gave was the name to date!).
He commands us to write. Why?
To keep a record of all his agreements with humans. He commands us to write so that we do not forget.
Growing up, I got to know that leaders in any public engagement would have someone recording (writing in a notebook) all his or her statements.
Today, with technological advancements, that might not be so.
Expression
Writing is an expression.
The writer may not be seen or present, but the writings speak volumes of the nature of the writer.
Thus, the Bible defines the nature of God as loving, forgiving and merciful, amongst several other attributes.
Read the Bible and get to know his love and comfort!
Editing articles from people not present, or who are not known, shows some characteristic of the person.
Writings reveal unseen writers as meticulous or careless, professionals or random writers ceased of an idea at once and jotting them down!
It sometimes shows pomposity or a genuine desire to let others know.
For the conscientious, writing defines ideas, provides clarity, and helps in the efforts that end in success.
For the pompous who believe, mistakenly, to be great writers, it helps them put to paper their thoughts, after their rants and raves.
Writing is beneficial in settling the troubled mind.
Some psychologists prescribe journalling as a calming effort when thoughts go haywire and emotions skyrocket uncontrollably, so that a person sees no solution in sight.
Timeless
Writing is timeless. God writes!
Excavated writings in caves, on stones, canvases, and parchments have all helped with our understanding of how those before us lived.
It has preserved cultures, ways of living and histories.
Is writing, however, beginning to phase out with technological advancements and digital interfaces that enable an idea in the head to become a defined digital imprint on a phone, tablet, or computer screen through Siri, Alexa, Gemini and Claude?
We must not allow the effort of writing to become extinct because of technology.
Imagine a society with no writing!
Particularly for Africans whose norms and mores have been bequeathed orally, we must not lose ourselves in the maze of technology controlled elsewhere.
We must write for posterity, because as said, the faintest pencil lead put to paper that captures an idea is better than the idea stuck in the mind.
Let our public servants cultivate the habit of writing to preserve institutional memories and capacities.
Leaders (particularly the political ones, who believe themselves to be gods), write, because the greatest leader (God, who is above you all and watches all you do), writes.
Students, write! Remember that technology can hallucinate!
Professionals, please write! So, we preserve indigenous knowledge for posterity.
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