Letters that touch the heart
Just a routine visit to the post office this morning really made me think.
As I parked my car, I pulled into the space beside a pickup. In it, there was a man whose white hair and wrinkled face told of many years of toil. Getting out and passing by him, I noticed that he held some notebook papers in his hands, and the folds that creased the pages were full of blue inked script. On the dashboard lay the envelope, with the familiar APO postmark telling of a trip from a person in military service somewhere.
He looked up, and though we never exchanged a word, I could tell that if I'd have offered him the riches of Midas for that letter, it wouldn't have been enough. I made my way to the PO Box and back, and when I got back in my car, that letter was still in his hands.
What did it say?
I don't know. But one thing it did say was obvious. I'm still alive, I still remember you, and you matter enough for me to take the time to write. It reminded me of a letter, written by an aged man to people he loved as his children, telling them about the One who first loved.
1 John 5:13-15 (Msg)
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. [14] And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. [15] And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours.
Please know this - if you are a believer, then the Spirit of the Living God is alive within you.
1 John 4:16-17 (Msg)
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. [17] This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's.
God wants to lead you away from a life of fear and into a life of love's full freedom. You may not be there yet - don't give up! Keep learning about God - keep asking Him for more of His presence in your life. It will happen.
1 John 4:18 (Msg)
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
Do this - commit yourself to writing a letter each day to God. Call it a journal, call it a diary, whatever you want, but in it, write God your heart's desires, fears, and tell Him where you are and what you want your relationship with Him to be.
When you are that real, that open and honest with God - you'll touch His heart. Picture Him in heaven, reading your letter. Can you see the look on His face?
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Sundae School
Have you ever tried NOT to think of something? Aggravating how it just keeps popping into your head, isn't it? Today for some reason, hot fudge sundaes popped into my head. (And yes, I'm on a diet, but I'm ALWAYS on a diet and haven't had ice cream in years.)
No matter how I tried, I found myself thinking about ice cream - vanilla ice cream - bathed in warm chocolate syrup and filling a cup to almost overflowing. My aunt and uncle used to own a Dairy Queen, so I'm no stranger to them. But in order to divert attention from the need for a sundae, I decided to see how they came to be.
What I found was that they were developed to break the law.
Around the turn of the century, "Blue Laws" were in place across much of the US. These were laws that governed what a person could not do on Sunday. They ranged from inconvenient to onerous. In some places, children's swings had to be tied up. In others, only books of a religious nature could be read. And in Virginia, soda drinks could not be consumed on the Sabbath.
One store owner grew weary of lost sales and decided to do something about it. He could serve ice cream, but not sodas, so he developed the idea of pouring hot fudge over ice cream. He was so tickled with himself and his creation, he named it the "Sunday", but changed the name when locals claimed it sacrilegious - so he changed it - to Sundae.
It reminded me again about when Jesus was confronted about Sabbath breaking.
Matthew 12:7 (Msg)
If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—'I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual'—you wouldn't be nitpicking like this.
Friends, following Jesus on the Journey is a lot less about following rules and a lot more about following Jesus closely. Just give God your heart, mind and soul, and dedicate everyday to making Him smile.
Now about that sundae......... :)
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Have you ever tried NOT to think of something? Aggravating how it just keeps popping into your head, isn't it? Today for some reason, hot fudge sundaes popped into my head. (And yes, I'm on a diet, but I'm ALWAYS on a diet and haven't had ice cream in years.)
No matter how I tried, I found myself thinking about ice cream - vanilla ice cream - bathed in warm chocolate syrup and filling a cup to almost overflowing. My aunt and uncle used to own a Dairy Queen, so I'm no stranger to them. But in order to divert attention from the need for a sundae, I decided to see how they came to be.
What I found was that they were developed to break the law.
Around the turn of the century, "Blue Laws" were in place across much of the US. These were laws that governed what a person could not do on Sunday. They ranged from inconvenient to onerous. In some places, children's swings had to be tied up. In others, only books of a religious nature could be read. And in Virginia, soda drinks could not be consumed on the Sabbath.
One store owner grew weary of lost sales and decided to do something about it. He could serve ice cream, but not sodas, so he developed the idea of pouring hot fudge over ice cream. He was so tickled with himself and his creation, he named it the "Sunday", but changed the name when locals claimed it sacrilegious - so he changed it - to Sundae.
It reminded me again about when Jesus was confronted about Sabbath breaking.
Matthew 12:7 (Msg)
If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—'I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual'—you wouldn't be nitpicking like this.
Friends, following Jesus on the Journey is a lot less about following rules and a lot more about following Jesus closely. Just give God your heart, mind and soul, and dedicate everyday to making Him smile.
Now about that sundae......... :)
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
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