I well remember the early morning scrum at the international hostel in London where I lodged whilst studying for my exams. When the mail arrived it was every man (and the odd woman!) for himself (or herself). I had not long finished playing rugby seriously and I usually got my mail reasonably soon! I then retreated to the quiet of my own room to see what my then fianc`ee (now wife) had to say.
Those crosses
But first I looked at the end of the letter. There it was ‘All my love and God bless’ followed by a row of crosses. Secure in the knowledge that she still loved me, I then went to the beginning of the letter and learned what she wanted to say to me. Some of the content was light chatter. Some of it was more serious. It all depended what had happened and what she wanted to say.
Why did she love me?
Love is a funny thing. Have you ever seen a beautiful young lady with a man who looks like a cross between Dracula and Frankenstein and asked yourself, ‘What does she see in him?’ I think people must have thought that about my fiancèe and me. They probably still do! Why she loved me, I do not know. Why she still does is an even greater mystery, because now she knows what she has got. But love me she did – and still does.
Why did she write to me?
What was the reason for her letters? I could think of only two reasons. First she loved me and wanted to keep in touch. Second she had something to tell me. Come to think of it, those were the two reasons why I wrote to her too.
God’s love letter
God has written His love letter to rebellious sinners. That includes you and me. That is all the more amazing because we have ignored God and rebelled against Him. His love has been rejected and even despised. Yet He loves us. We read in His love letter, the Bible, that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16). We have spurned that love by selfishness, neglect of what we should have done, and by deciding to do many things that we knew were wrong. In the process we have hurt others. Yet God loves us. Christ, who was without sin, came to die on the cross to bear our sins and take the punishment for them that we deserve. The Bible says that the ‘Son of God — loved me and gave Himself for me.’
(Galatians 2:20)
What does His love letter tell you?
The Bible’s message is that through sorrow and shame for your selfishness and for the wrong you have done or intend to do – your ‘sins’ – you must turn your back on it all and turn to Jesus Christ, as your risen Lord and Saviour. He is willing to wipe your slate of sin clean and will come into your life. He promises to forgive you and lead you in His ways and give you a home forever in Heaven. That is news worth reading!
Gerard Chrispin
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world of magic and music where she is wondrously happy. When she meets the courageous and charming Prince Edward everything is complete. All that is needed is a wedding and everyone will live happily ever after.