The Spirit of the Letter

I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. 3 John 1:13-14a (NKJV)

When I was a little girl I wrote a long letter to my favorite television star. I poured my heart out on those pages, and I wanted to know everything about her, too. The response? A form letter, full of facts and figures.

God wrote us a letter, too. He poured out his heart, writing down everything about Himself, and everything we would need to sustain us in this life. But He knew we would need more, because His ways and His wisdom are not like ours. To our limited understanding, His letter would seem like just a bunch of facts and figures—dos and don’ts. We could never understand the depth of His love, or know how deeply he feels our pain. So He sent the Holy Spirit to impart His message to our hearts.

In a way the Bible is like a form letter in that He only wrote one; however, the similarity ends there. Through the Spirit, God’s words take on new life and meaning for each one of us individually. “Dos” become opportunities, and “don’ts” become protection. His words communicate something new every time we delve into them. They teach us how to love Him, how to love ourselves, and how to love one another. And if we pay attention as we open His letter and begin to read, we may just hear Him say, “I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.”

Father, thank You so much for Your letter. We can’t wait to see You!

© 2011 Katherine A. Fuller