There is a box. Quite unique! I had the privilege of guarding it for years. Covered with blue dots, and pink and blue flowers; its double open top still holds my heart in check. Stowed away in it are the words that started my life journey with the most beautiful gift that God would bring into my life beside His Son; my Wife. It is a strange box containing obscure memorabilia - a combination of hers and mine. Nick- knacks , dried leaves, games, greeting cards, dried flowers, pieces of ribbon, cards, a piece of a veil, collapsed balloons... but the real treasures are the words tucked neatly in little envelopes that have traveled through the nights, the miles, the fights, the cutting truths, the forgiveness and the emotional weather ... to ignite and re-ignite love. If love begins to doubt, I go to the blue flowered box.
Let's transition to a parallel thought about an eternal love relationship that was started by Jesus, but offered to the most unlikely... even Me. Don't rob me of the truths that ground me in His love. His choosing me runs against all standards of profitability and gain. His love for me creates scowls on the faces of those who saw my unworthiness. His love confounds and shames those who still want to see me destroyed as the enemy. Whether you think my Jesus story is embellished or fantastical in its imaginative delivery … One thing rests deep in my childlike soul … Jesus loves even Me.
The truth about me had to be faced in order to truly begin to let Him love me – All my attempts to show righteousness was like offering a maggot infested leper's rag to comfort a crying baby. My fake selfless good was only for my selfish gain, and fueled my pride. I could only pretend to understand God because I had no understanding of His Holiness, and His true desire to rescue and deliver me. I only sought to identify myself with eternity when it would bring me favor, but I would cower from the connection if it meant the slightest bit of embarrassing persecution. I would completely alienate myself from His Way if it meant personal loss. And no way would I agree with His words if they contradicted my lifestyle.
My throat was an open grave quick to spew the death stench of self justification. I would argue my thoughts until someone other than I was thrown under the bus. I would make sure there was enough poisonous slander to keep my opponent out of the ring. I fully enjoyed the thought of my enemies flayed alive and left utterly destroyed. I was despised, I was miserable, I was without real peace (but didn't even sense my lost-ness until His love letter started flowing). Truthfully … I had to face the truth of who I was, in order to understand … “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” … “But God commended (proved the over-all value of) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” … “Father forgive them for they no not what they do!” … “For the wages of sin IS DEATH, BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord.” … “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Simple truth...easy to believe or: There are those today who would wish that I would lose the Love Letter or at least not mention the “negative” stuff within it that must be dealt with. There are those who would love to universalize, homogenize and quantize the message in order to eliminate any personal responsibility to receive the message and/or deliver it to a Christ-less world. There are claims of older revelations, newer revelations and personally deep interpretations that call on me to abandon my “misguided” devotion. Not gonna do it!
The Love Letter is only clear to those who meet Christ at the Cross with who they are, and walk out of the empty tomb with who he is … Believing.
John 3:15,16,17,18 keep reading if you like!
HLFA,
Jeff