God’s Letter of Love
Handwritten letters are facing extinction! To many, written communications are limited to a tiny screen. Sentences have been replaced with phrases that are filled with more text abbreviations than words. The messages are instantly sent, but the restricted length limits the closeness between the sender and the recipient. To receive a handwritten letter in the mail is a rare treasure that displays the character and personality of the sender. The time taken to write a letter reflects the sender’s love and respect for the receiver. No matter how elaborate or simple the paper, it is the penned words that bear the true message. The most impressively decorated paper or card is insignificant if the words aren’t heartfelt.
Letters are defined by their purpose. Some relay instructions or explanations. Some express gratitude for a kind deed or a thoughtful gift. A love letter beautifully expresses the writer’s affection for the recipient. A letter can be read and re-read many times to fully comprehend the writer’s cherished message.
The Bible has been called God’s love letter to us. The pages of the Bible are filled with expressions of His everlasting compassion. On every page He reveals Himself to the reader, and with every revelation, we better understand His heart. We read the conversation Jesus had with a despised woman by a well. We learn how He ministered to outcast lepers, hated publicans, and diseased followers. What comfort these accounts give when we look at our own unworthiness! God’s love for these people reassures us of His love for us.
The better we know God, the greater the impact His tenderness and care have on our lives. In God’s Word, our Heavenly Father gives us unfailing promises that demonstrate His eternal love and continual presence. He is by our side—always. He never leaves, but walks with us each step of the way. We may be abandoned by our earthly loved ones; but when we open our Bibles and read, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” our hearts rejoice to know we are never alone.
God’s Word promises His provision. When everything is going well, His Word reminds us that every good and perfect gift is from His hand. When times are hard, His Word reassures us that His love remains, and the lesson of the moment was sent to strengthen and mature our wavering faith. No need is too great or too small for Him to meet.
We read innumerable accounts of God’s providing for the needs of His people. God sent manna and quail from heaven to feed His complaining people when they wandered forty years in the wilderness. He directed ravens to feed His prophet, Elijah, beside the brook Cherith and caused a little pot of oil to not run dry. Jesus healed scores of people and raised many from the dead. Jesus provided tax money for Peter from a fish’s mouth. Thousands of hungry families were fed with a little boy’s meager lunch after Jesus blessed it. And He promises to meet our every need!
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)
God gave His people miraculous protection from their enemies. God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army. David knew it was time to attack the Philistines when he heard the wind in the tops of the mulberry trees. Elijah had the help of the hosts of heaven in chariots of fire to stop the Syrians. And this Almighty God promises to protect us!
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust…He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” (Ps. 91:1-2, 4)
He is the same God today! He desires to show us that same love, provision, and protection that we read about in God’s Word. In fact, John clearly tells us that all the stories in the Bible are given to us as a testimony of who our God is.
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (Jn. 20:31)
Without God’s Word, our belief of God is shaped by man’s religion or our imagination. Only in His Word can we accurately learn of Him and understand the surrender that is necessary to be changed into His likeness. When we get a glimpse of the beauty and purpose of the Bible, our hearts should hunger and thirst to read it daily. Many women desire to spend time with the Lord but they simply don’t know how! Here are a few ideas that may help develop this precious time:
* Set aside a daily time and place to spend with the Lord.
* Use your time to the fullest! If you have hours to study, then study God’s Word for hours. For most women that isn’t realistic. You many have ten, twenty, or thirty minutes. Use the time God gives you.
* Look for one truth from whatever passage you read. Stop reading when you
find that one truth and meditate on it.
· Document that truth in a journal by writing the verse out as well as the application of that verse to your life. Carry that verse with you on a note card and review it throughout your day.
* Always look for truths about who God is! Keep an ongoing list in your journal
of who God is, what He can do, and what He will do. These are truths that you don’t want to ever forget!
· Take the time to memorize, apply, and share God’s Word.
I doubt that letter writing will ever make a comeback. Our modern technology will only advance more and soon pen and paper will be obsolete. But God’s Word is eternal. It declares, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Luke 21:33). May our time with the Lord be the highlight of our day! May we be women of the Word who daily read this precious Book and continually grow in our knowledge and love for God.
June Kimmel is a pastor’s wife, author of five books, mother of three, and grandmother of eight. She and her husband have been in ministry for over forty years. June’s greatest joy is teaching God’s Word to ladies of all ages and walks of life. She regularly speaks at ladies’ conferences and retreats, educators’ conferences, and other special events in the United States and internationally. Through their ministry—Training the Nations—June and her husband are training pastors, their wives, and Christian educators around the world.
