Love Letters from God
In one of the darkest periods of my life, a friend shared with me a song I’d never heard before, “Just Be Held” by Casting Crowns. The refrain was especially meaningful to me:
“If your eyes are on the storm
You’ll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You’ll know I always have and I always will…”
For the next few years, in that period of darkness, I listened to “Just Be Held” at least once each day. I couldn’t hear those words of love often enough. That’s what love letters are like. We read them and re-read them, and we hang onto every word of love.
God sent us a wonderful love letter when he sent his son to earth to die in exchange for our sins (John 3:16). For God the Father and God the Son both, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus represent the most incredible love ever displayed. “For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all” (John 15:13).
And God still sends us love letters! Practice watching for them every day. I recently got the incredible opportunity to go snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean. Just a few minutes into my journey, a giant sea turtle swam straight at me. He swam under me from head to toe and only about a foot below me. I saw God smiling at the joy he had given me. A loving father enjoys bringing joy to the son he loves.
God’s love letters are very personal. He writes letters to me in ways he knows I can understand his love. He writes yours in different ways, ways he knows you will understand his love.
When’s the last time you read God’s love letter to you? When your grandson wanted a hug? When you read a verse that was exactly what you needed to hear? When a friend called for “no reason” and the conversation was medicine to your heart? When you saw your last rainbow, or sunset, or sunrise? What do his letters to you look like? Have you been watching for them?
Advent is all about waiting and watching. This month practice waiting and watching for love letters from God – for you personally, for your friends, for your children or grandchildren. Sometimes we need someone in our spiritual community to help us see the letter.
Looking for something special to bring your family and God together at Christmas? We want to share with you a free video about practicing the presence of God. Then enjoy a downloadable resource guide with activities specifically designed for you and the children in your life.
KidZ at Heart exists to train networks of leaders to help children fall deeply in love with Jesus. We want them to know about Jesus, but to go beyond that knowledge to be transformed via a loving relationship with him. And sometimes children find it easier to discover God’s love letters!
Please prayerfully consider helping send God’s love letters to 2.3 billion children around the world by generously giving to KidZ at Heart’s year-end campaign, Fast Forward.
In 2024, there is so much work to get done – revamping our entire training program to include trauma-informed training, family ministry, and ways to release grandparents to share their faith. And once we redesign our program to better reach the under-served communities across North America, we have 50 more countries waiting for us to bring the new materials to them.
Thanks for being a letter carrier for God.
- Gordon West, President/CEO