The Letters

     Last night I came across a xerox copy of some letters that one of my uncles had sent us right after my Daddy died.  He had copied a letter my Dad sent to their parents while Daddy was in college as well as a copy of a letter my Mom sent my uncle many years ago.  I had not seen the letters since Mama and Daddy's deaths--now almost 13 years ago (Mom) and 12 years ago (Daddy).  And what wonderful letters they are--what a gift and a joy to have suddenly found them again!  Thank You Lord!
      I wept as I reread them, because my dear parents suddenly seemed to be right here in the room with me again.  I immediately recognized their familiar handwriting--O and how wonderful it was to see my Mom's clear, looping cursive and my Dad's angular, slightly less legible handwriting.  And their words: I could almost hear them speaking.  Sounded just like each of them--so different in personality and yet each so dearly loved.  How I miss them both.
     My mom's letter had a quote that I had always loved and hadn't been able to remember.  Another treasure to find it again!  Thank You Father!  In referring to a beloved, old friend, Mama quoted her old minister, Dr. Myers, who said: "He carried a full cup with a steady hand and an empty cup with a happy heart."  How I hope to be like that... help us all to be like that.
     But in reading and treasuring these words from two of the people I have so deeply and profoundly loved and admired all my life, I  thought about the fact that I have another love letter written especially for me.  I can read and reread it anytime, anywhere.  And whenever I do, I'm ushered immediately into His presence. We can read His Word and see His personality.  He is all over the words.  Like my parents' letters, He is suddenly in the room with me as I treasure His letter, His Word.  What a gift!  Thank You Father.
     "I rise before the dawning of the morning and cry for help.  I hope in Your Word.  My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your Word." Ps.119:147
     "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Ps.119:105
     So many verses about God's Word... His gift to us to instruct us, encourage us, teach us, equip us, convict us, empower us.
     And here, as we prepare for the coming of Immanuel, we remember that God didn't just give us His love letter in the Word... He came in the flesh.  He fleshed out His Word in the Word, the Lord Jesus.  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
     O thank You, Father!  What more could You do?  Not just giving us Your written Word but sending us Your Living Word, the Son.  Love written all over both... love spilling and splashing out of each of them.
     Today, might we rejoice in the Word--God's love letter in the Bible and God's love made flesh in the Savior.  We can enter His presence today, this morning, and be refreshed and renewed.  And He is the One who will enable us this today to "carry a full cup with a steady hand and an empty cup with a happy heart."
    To God--the Word made flesh--be all the glory.