Tuesday, February 14, 2017

God's Valentine to us - the Word of God

Did you get a letter from your Valentine today?  There is something special about getting a note or letter from someone who loves you and really knows you.  I remember in grade school the days before Valentine’s Day were filled with preparation.  In class we used brown paper lunch sacks or shoe boxes to create Valentine “mailboxes,” covered with cutout construction paper hearts and tissue paper, ready to receive the notes of love (hopefully including candy) from our fellow classmates.  We either made handwritten cards, or begged our parents to buy us cards from the store with pictures of Snoopy, Garfield, or some other cartoon character on them.  Also, candy was sometimes included as a bonus.  Suckers were pretty common, but sometimes Tootsie Rolls or even chocolate candy bars were given.  It was so special to open your “mailbox” at the end of the day and find all the Valentine Day notes and candy (hopefully including chocolate) that your classmates had given you.

When I was dating my wife, we would leave notes and letters for each other.  I may have left a note on her windshield at work, or gave her a letter to read after our date was over.  She would leave me notes in my office and send me letters too.  There is nothing like getting a handwritten note or letter from the one you love.  The anticipation of reading the words, knowing the thoughts and feelings of the person you love so much, and just feeling closer to the person until the next time you get to physically be with them again.  Even now, after 20 years of marriage, we still leave notes for each other or give each other handwritten letters on special occasions. 

As Christ-Followers, we too have a love letter written just to us from God in the form of the Bible.  From Genesis to Revelation, it is a proclamation of God’s never-ending love for us.  A story of how we were once so close to God that we walked and talked with Him in the garden on a daily basis.  But, sin entered into the picture and separated us from Him.  God however, through His overpowering love for us, took the form of man and came to defeat sin, and once again provide a way for us to be in His loving presence.   The Bible describes followers of Christ as His Bride, completely redeemed and made pure through His loving actions towards us, and for our benefit.   We await His soon return when we will be called to join Him.  But, until that time, we have the Bible…His “Valentine Day” love letter to us, His Bride.  The Bible is filled with words of wisdom, direction, caring, encouragement, and instruction. 

Just as we look forward to reading those notes and letters from those we love here on earth, we should look forward to reading God’s letters and notes to us.  They are spoken directly from God’s Holy Spirit to us, providing just the hope and direction we need every day of our lives.  We live in anticipation of seeing Him again, being in His presence once again.  Until that time we have His words of love and encouragement available to us.  Will we take the time daily to read those words, meditate on them, dwell on them, and hide them in our heart?

Isaiah 55:10-11  For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,so My word that comes from My mouth

will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.

Job 23:12    I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
more than my daily food.

John 15:7    If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.


Psalm 17:9-10  The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.The precepts of the Lord are right,

making the heart glad;
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.They are more desirable than gold—
than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey,
which comes from the honeycomb.